Broken Key Extraction in Paterson, NJ

Where keys tend to break

A key seldom snaps on its first bad turn. It weakens over months of twisting, then gives way in the lock that works it hardest. In Paterson, three places stand out.

• Shared entrances. In a building of three or more units, every household carries a key to the shared entrance cylinder, and N.J.A.C. 5:10-19.2 says that key must not also open the tenant's own unit door. Constant use by so many hands wears keys and pins together, and the thinnest, most worn key is the one that breaks.
• Downtown blocks. Downtown was rebuilt with Beaux-Arts buildings after the 1902 fire, and many still stand at four to seven stories. In one of them the street-level business and the owner may hold keys to different doors, so the first question after a break is who controls the lock.
• Winter mornings. NOAA describes New Jersey winters as moderately cold and occasionally snowy. Meltwater that turns back to ice in a keyway holds the pins in place, and a key forced against it is a common way to snap one.

This is general information, not legal advice.

What not to do

• Do not push the fragment deeper by pressing on it with the rest of the key or with another key.
• Do not put glue in the lock to join the pieces. It can seal the cylinder and turn a simple extraction into a replacement.
• Do not keep working the handle or the bolt. Note whether the door was left locked or unlocked, and leave it as it is.
• If the blocked lock is a shared entrance, tell the landlord or superintendent so neighbors stop trying their own keys in it.

What to send

1. A close photo of the keyway showing how much of the broken key is visible.
2. The piece still in your hand. Keep it; it can help cut a replacement key.
3. Which lock it is (building entrance, apartment door, mailbox or storefront) and who controls it.
4. Whether the door is currently locked, plus your neighborhood or nearest cross streets.

More on broken key extraction. If the cylinder was damaged along with the key, see lock repair, or visit the Paterson page.