Broken Key Extraction in Augusta, GA

Where key strain comes from in Augusta

A key rarely breaks on the first bad turn. It breaks after months of extra strain, and Augusta's housing supplies several sources of it.

• Old cylinders. About a fifth of Augusta homes predate 1960, so many cylinders carry decades of wear. In Laney–Walker North, bounded in part by D'Antignac Street, Walton Way and Laney Walker Boulevard, or Sand Hills, near the Augusta Country Club, a worn cylinder makes you force the key to line up the pins.
• Copies of copies. With 50.3 percent of households renting, many keys in use are duplicates passed from tenant to tenant. Each copy can drift a little from the original cut, and a poor fit means twisting.
• Shared locks. In a rented building, an entry gate or mailbox lock is often the property's, so tell management before anyone removes or replaces it.

What not to do

• Do not keep turning the stub; the rest of the blade can wedge deeper.
• Do not use glue to pull the piece out; glue that reaches the pins can ruin the cylinder.
• Do not push a spare key in on top of the fragment.
• If the door is unlocked, leave it that way until the piece is out. If it is locked, do not force the door.

What to send

• A close photo of the keyway showing the broken piece, and a photo of the half you still hold.
• Whether the door is locked or unlocked, and whether it is the only way in.
• The kind of lock: house deadbolt, knob, mortise lock, storefront door, mailbox, padlock or car.
• Whether a working spare exists. If not, a new key can often be cut from the two pieces.

If a worn cylinder caused the break, lock repair is the likely follow-up. Details of the service are on the broken key extraction page, and Augusta has the local overview.