Emergency · Kenner, LA
Broken Key Extraction in Kenner
Snapped a key in the lock? Non-destructive extraction, then we sort what actually broke it.
Broken key extraction in Kenner is $125 to $275 daytime, $145 to $275 after hours. We remove the fragment without damaging the cylinder, then diagnose why it broke. In Kenner most snapped keys were levered against a bound bolt — fixing the alignment stops it happening again.
Broken key extraction removes a snapped key from the cylinder without damaging the lock, using extractor tools rather than drilling. Do not try to turn the remaining stub or push it further in. In most cases the lock survives and a new key is cut on the spot.
Do not do this before we get there
- Do not use pliers or tweezers. They push the fragment deeper and scratch the plug. What starts as a $95 extraction becomes a $195 cylinder replacement.
- Do not use superglue on the fragment to try and pull it out with another key. Now you have a glued cylinder as well as a snapped key.
- Do not force the other end of the key if you still have it. That was the problem in the first place.
- Do not spray WD-40. It attracts dust and gums up the pins.
- Ring us. Extraction is 5 to 15 minutes and less than the cost of a replacement lockset.
Diagnose the real cause
Why keys break in Kenner more than most places
When we extract a broken key we always look at the door before we hand you a new one. Because in Kenner, keys almost never break because they are worn — they break because they are being used as a lever.
| Symptom you had before it broke | Real cause | Real fix |
|---|---|---|
| Had to lift the door by the handle to lock it | Frame moved, bolt binding on the strike | Realign the strike — $85–$145 |
| Deadbolt would only throw halfway | Same | Re-cut the strike |
| Turn was stiff for weeks | Corrosion inside the cylinder | Clean and lubricate |
| Fine one day, snapped the next | Delta soil settlement over months | Alignment work + new key |
Prices shown are typical ranges. Your total is confirmed on the phone before we dispatch — and if the specific lock, vehicle or job is unusual we tell you the number before we come out. No surprise fees.
Extracting the key fixes today. Fixing the alignment stops it happening again in November.
Questions
Broken key questions
How much does broken key extraction cost in Kenner?
$125 to $275 during the day. After-hours it is $145 to $275. That is the total including the call-out. If the cylinder was already damaged before we arrived it is $95 to $185.
Can I get the broken piece out with pliers or tweezers?
Almost never, and trying usually pushes the fragment deeper into the cylinder. Pliers scratch the plug and damage the pins — at which point extraction alone will not do it and the cylinder needs replacing. Do not.
Why did my key break?
In Kenner, nine times out of ten the key was being forced against a bound bolt. The frame moved, the deadbolt started catching the edge of the strike, and you started using the key as a lever. That is exactly how keys snap. See why doors stick in Kenner.
Can you extract the piece without damaging the lock?
Yes in most cases. We use a broken key extractor — small hooked tool that reaches past the pins and pulls the fragment out. Usually 5 to 15 minutes.
What if the cylinder is damaged?
Then extraction alone is not enough. Cylinder replacement is $125 to $275 for a standard residential lock, more for high-security. We tell you which one it is before charging you.
My key broke off in the ignition, not the door.
Different job. Extract from the ignition is $95 to $185. If the ignition itself is worn we can rebuild or replace on site — $185 to $495.
Can I still use the same key after?
If the key broke because it was worn out, we cut you a fresh one and dispose of the old. If it broke because the door was fighting it, we extract, fix the alignment, and then cut a new key — otherwise you are back here in a week.
Snapped key in the lock?
We extract without damage and diagnose what actually broke it.