Key broke off in the lock – we get it out and open

Yes, we come out for this, day and night, usually within 20–40 min. You get a fixed price on the phone for removing the broken piece and opening the door, before we drive.

A key that snaps in the lock is more common than people think. Old keys get thin. Cold mornings make metal brittle. A door that sticks makes you twist harder. Then — click — half a key in your hand.

The most important thing: hands off

The broken piece usually sits where we can reach it with the right extraction tool. That stays true as long as nobody pushes it further in. If a bit of the key still sticks out and you can pull it straight out with your fingers, fine. If not, leave it.

What to do now

1. 1Stop turning. Don't try to twist the stump to open the door. It can jam the cylinder.
2. 2Keep the other half. The part in your hand shows us the key profile. Hold on to it.
3. 3Call us. Tell us whether the door is locked or unlocked, and whether you are inside or outside.
4. 4Get your ID ready. If you are outside and the door is locked, we check that you live there before we open.

How we get it out

The locksmith inspects the cylinder with a light. Then a thin extraction tool goes in alongside the broken piece, hooks it and draws it out. Most of the time this takes only a few minutes. The cylinder is not damaged, and the lock works afterwards with your spare key.

If the door was locked when the key broke, we open it after the piece is out, with non-destructive methods first.

Sometimes the piece is stuck too hard, or the cylinder was already worn out — which is often why the key broke in the first place. Then we tell you, and you get a price for a new cylinder. Nothing is drilled or replaced without your yes. A new cylinder comes with new keys.

Three situations, three different calls

You are outside, door locked. The classic. We extract the piece, then open the door. You show ID once you are inside if your wallet is in there.

You are inside, door locked. You can't get out, or you can't lock up to leave. Tell us. We work from the outside, you wait inside. If someone in the flat needs urgent help, call 112 first.

The door is unlocked. No rush to get in, but you can't lock up. Fine for a few hours if you are home. Not fine overnight in a ground-floor flat or a house. We can come the same evening.

Why keys break

• Worn keys. A key used for years gets thin at the neck. It bends a little every time and then gives.
• Soft metal. Some spare keys are made of softer metal with a looser fit. They give way sooner than the originals.
• A sticky lock. If the key has been hard to turn for weeks, the lock needs attention. After the extraction we can check it and tell you what we see.
• A door that has dropped. If you need to lift or push the door to turn the key, the bolt rubs against the frame. The key takes the strain.

What it costs

The price is set on the phone before we drive and covers the call-out and the extraction or opening. A booked daytime opening is from SEK 1 295. Evenings, nights and weekends are priced on the call. If you also want a lock change, that is from SEK 1 495 including labour, with the cylinder priced on the phone. See prices.

You pay with card or Swish when the job is done. You get a receipt.

If you rent

The lock usually belongs to your landlord. A broken key is still your problem to solve tonight. If your landlord has an on-call number, you can try it first. If not, we fix it and you get a receipt to show them. More on renting in Stockholm.