If you've got old locks around your commercial facility, it's possible that you might have to worry about rusted metal keys breaking loose when you're locking or unlocking your locks. This can create a huge problem when you need to take care of business and you can't access or protect company property.
In a pinch, you can try the following five things to remove a broken piece of a key from an old lock before calling a commercial locksmith:
Use super glue to pull out the broken piece
If the keyhole itself is fairly large and you can clearly make out the key piece, you may be able to use a very long, thin object and some super glue to get it out.
Place a dab of super glue on the end of the long object and then push it into the keyhole until it firmly comes into contact with the key piece. Then, give it time to dry. When it is dry, you may be able to very easily lift out the broken key.
Try tweezers or pliers
Tweezers or small pliers can be effective at allowing you to reach into a narrow key hole and grasp on to a small key piece. However, be careful you don't use tweezers or pliers that are too large and merely end up pushing the key pieces further inside the keyhole.
Purchase an extractor specifically designed for removing broken key pieces
There are specially-made key extractors on the market that are designed for pulling broken key pieces out of keyholes. However, these extractors may be very expensive. They may nevertheless be worth the investment if there are many old locks at your facility and broken keys are a relatively frequent problem.
Try tapping the lock cylinder to knock out the key piece
If the key piece is fitted somewhat loosely within the keyhole, you may be able to tap it out so that gravity allows it to fall back out of the keyhole. This method works especially well on padlocks and other types of lock that tend to point downwards.
Extract the key with a jigsaw or hacksaw blade
This method requires that you have the appropriate tools available at your facility and that you are capable of using these tools with precision.
A jigsaw or hacksaw blade can be used to extract key pieces if the blade can be angled into the keyhole and used to gently pry out the key piece.
