Broken Key Extraction in Kenosha, WI

Where keys snap in Kenosha

A key usually breaks at the shoulder, where the blade meets the head, after months of being twisted in a stiff lock. In Kenosha the locks under the most strain are often the ones many people share:

• Shared street doors. The Library Park Historic District includes two Neo-Classical apartment buildings, from 1915 and 1928. In a multi-unit building like these, everyone inside uses the street door, and heavy use wears pins and keyways.
• Upper-floor doors downtown. In the Pearl Street Historic District, the 1907 Winberg Building has a wood-and-glass door for the upper floor in the same recessed entrance as the doors to its two original storefronts. A door like that may be shared by everyone who works or lives above the shops.
• Frozen cylinders. Forcing a key in a frozen lock is a common way to break one. A cylinder that has iced over needs de-icer and patience, not leverage.

Shared locks belong to the building

If the key broke in a building entry or lobby lock, tell the owner or manager before arranging anything. Section 16.18 of Kenosha's property maintenance code says building security locks and intercom systems must be kept in good working order, so the lock may be theirs to deal with. This is general information, not legal advice.

What not to do

• Do not put glue on the fragment to pull it out; glue that reaches the pins can ruin the cylinder.
• Do not push a spare key or any tool into the keyway, which can drive the piece deeper.
• Do not keep turning the lock; a cylinder stuck partway through a turn can jam.

What to send

Say where the break happened (unit door, building entry or car), whether the fragment sticks out or sits flush, and whether the lock was locked or unlocked at the time. A close photo of the keyway helps. Keep the broken head, because a new key can often be cut from the two pieces.

Service details: broken key extraction. If the cylinder is damaged, see lock repair. City page: Kenosha.