# Key Snapped in the Lock? What to Do Now | Waterford > Key snapped in the lock? Don URL: https://emergencylocksmithwaterford.com/guide/key-snapped-in-lock-what-to-do/ Last-Modified: 2026-09-01 # Key Snapped in the Lock? What to Do Now Key snapped in the lock? Don't force the fragment or use glue. Learn the safe steps to take and how a Waterford locksmith extracts it without damage. Updated 1 September 2026 · 3 min read ![Broken key half held in front of the lock it snapped in](/images/featured/hand-holding-the-broken-bow-half-of-a-key-in-front.webp) ## Stop. Do nothing for a minute A snapped key feels like a disaster and is usually a twenty-minute job — provided nobody makes it worse in the meantime. Almost every expensive outcome we see started with a well-intentioned attempt to fix it. So, first, the list of things not to do. ## What not to do **Don’t push the fragment deeper.** Pressing it in makes it far harder to grip and can damage the pins. **Don’t try other keys.** Inserting another key drives the broken piece further along the keyway. **Don’t use superglue.** This is the big one. Glue seizes the fragment, the pins and the keyway together, and turns a routine extraction into a cylinder replacement. It also almost never works, because the surface area of a snapped key is tiny and under torsion. **Don’t attack it with pliers if nothing is protruding.** You’ll scratch the keyway and push the piece in. **Don’t force the lock with a screwdriver.** A damaged cylinder is a cylinder you’re buying. **Do keep the other half.** It’s genuinely useful — it gives us the key pattern for cutting a replacement. ## If a piece is sticking out One exception. If a decent length of the blade protrudes and you have fine-nosed pliers, a gentle, straight pull along the line of the keyway is reasonable. Straight out, no twisting, no wiggling. If it doesn’t move on the first light attempt, stop. Forcing it snaps the fragment again, this time flush, which is a harder job. ## How extraction actually works ![Extractor tool being used on a door cylinder](/images/content/locksmith-using-a-slim-extractor-tool-on-a-door-cy.webp) Locksmiths use purpose-made extractors: slim spiral or saw-tooth tools that slide alongside the fragment in the keyway, engage the cuts on the blade, and draw it back out. The tools are shaped specifically to grip a key blade without touching the pins. That’s why the process leaves the cylinder working, and why improvised tools do not. Once the fragment is out, we test the lock from both sides. If it turns cleanly, it stays. If the cylinder was already worn or seized — which is very often _why_ the key snapped — we’ll show you and quote a replacement before doing anything. Our broken key extraction service [/broken-key-extraction/ →](/broken-key-extraction/) covers the whole process, 24 hours a day. ## Then: a replacement key ![Snapped key halves beside a new replacement key](/images/content/the-two-halves-of-a-snapped-key-laid-together-on-a.webp) Assuming you still have the bow half and we recover the blade, the two together usually give the full pattern for cutting a fresh key. Where the pieces are too worn, we can sometimes cut to the lock’s own code instead. More detail in our guide on whether a broken key can be copied [/guide/can-a-broken-key-be-copied/ →](/guide/can-a-broken-key-be-copied/) . ## Why it snapped, and how to stop it happening again Three usual causes, and all of them are fixable: 1. **The key was worn.** Copied from a copy, thinned by years of use. Cut a fresh one to the lock’s pattern. 2. **The cylinder was stiff or seizing.** Common near the coast, where salt air corrodes internals. Lubricate with a dry graphite product, or replace the cylinder. 3. **The door had dropped.** The bolt was under load, so the key was taking strain it was never designed for. Adjusting the hinges fixes it. If a locksmith extracts your key and doesn’t mention which of those it was, ask. Otherwise the new key will do exactly the same thing in six months. ## Learn more about broken key extraction If this is the situation you're in, our broken key extraction page explains what the job involves, what it costs, and how quickly we can be with you. Broken Key Extraction in Waterford [/broken-key-extraction/ →](/broken-key-extraction/) Call 051 575 008 [tel:+35351575008 →](tel:+35351575008) FAQs ## Questions people also ask ### What should I do if my key snaps in the lock? Leave the fragment exactly where it is, keep the half in your hand, and call a locksmith. Don't push it deeper, don't try other keys, and don't reach for glue. A clean extraction usually leaves the lock working normally. ### Can I glue the key back together? No. Superglue is the single most common way a straightforward extraction becomes a full cylinder replacement. The glue seizes the pins and the keyway along with the fragment, and the lock is often unrecoverable afterwards. ### Will the lock survive? In most cases, yes. Purpose-made extractors grip the blade and draw it out along the keyway without damaging the internals. The lock is then tested from both sides and usually stays in service. ### Still have a question? Call and talk it through with a locksmith, not a call centre. We'll tell you what the job involves and what it costs before you commit. Call 051 575 008 [tel:+35351575008 →](tel:+35351575008) ## Related guides ### Can a Broken Key Be Copied After Extraction? Yes — a broken key can often be copied from the fragments or the lock code. Learn when a new key is cut and why keeping a spare set matters. [Can a Broken Key Be Copied After Extraction? →](/guide/can-a-broken-key-be-copied/)