(845) 490-8899
·
Residential · Automotive · Historic Hardware

Key broke off in the lock?
We extract it.

Broken keys happen — the key gets old and brittle, someone forced it, or the lock itself is so seized that turning it sheared the blade. We extract the broken half without damaging the cylinder, cut you a fresh key from the VIN (for cars) or on-site (for residential), and if the lock itself is past its service life we replace it with something appropriate. This page also covers our specialized work on historic mortise and rim locks in older Rockland homes — a service worth calling out separately because we approach it differently from modern hardware.

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Typical extraction time
10–30 min
Typical cost
$95–$180
Historic hardware
Specialized service
Availability
Same-day

Extraction without damaging the lock

Getting a broken key out cleanly requires the right tools and the right approach. Standard residential and automotive locks respond to key extractors — thin, flexible picks designed to grip the broken blade and pull it out without scoring the cylinder wall. Most extractions take 10-to-30 minutes. Historic hardware is different: extracting a broken key from an 1890s mortise lock requires care not to damage irreplaceable internal components, and the approach varies based on the lock's specific construction.

For historic Rockland homes — especially in Nyack, Piermont, Tappan, Congers, Grand View, and Stony Point where 19th-century housing stock is common — we treat the lock as worth preserving unless proven otherwise. We extract carefully, assess what broke and why, and tell you honestly whether the lock can continue serving or whether it's time for a modern cylinder installed behind the original trim. We don't push replacements on hardware that still has decades of useful life in it.

Common questions

Can you extract from any kind of lock?
Effectively yes. Residential deadbolts, car door locks, ignition cylinders, mortise locks on older homes, rim cylinders, mailbox locks, filing cabinet locks. The extraction approach varies but we carry the tools for each. If a lock is genuinely too damaged to extract cleanly, we tell you honestly before starting — sometimes replacement is the right answer, sometimes the lock is worth saving. If a key broke off in a car's ignition specifically, see our ignition repair page — that's our specialized service for those cases.
Do you work on historic mortise locks?
Yes — especially in older parts of Rockland (Nyack, Piermont, Tappan, Congers, Stony Point) where 19th-century and earlier hardware is common. We extract carefully, source period-appropriate replacement parts where available, and can install modern cylinders behind original trim when full replacement is the right call. We treat historic locks as worth preserving unless they're genuinely past service life.
How much does it cost?
Most standard extractions are $95-to-$180 — covers the tech visit and the extraction work. If a new key needs to be cut to replace the broken one, that's usually included for standard residential locks. For automotive, key replacement is priced separately (see our lost car keys page). Historic hardware is quoted after walkthrough because the condition varies widely.
Why did my key break?
Usually one of three reasons. Old brittle key — key blanks get fatigued over years of use and eventually snap under normal force. Seized lock — the cylinder is sticking, and when you turn harder to compensate the key breaks rather than the lock. Wrong key or forced key — key didn't fit properly and cracked when forced. We tell you which it was when we extract, because the cause points to whether the lock needs service or just a fresh key.

Available in every town we serve

Broken key extraction and historic hardware service throughout all 29 Rockland County towns. Same-day dispatch for most calls.

Monsey Spring Valley New City Nyack Suffern Kaser Hillcrest Wesley Hills New Hempstead Pomona Nanuet Bardonia Valley Cottage Congers West Nyack Piermont Grand View-on-Hudson Sparkill Tappan Blauvelt Orangeburg Airmont Chestnut Ridge Montebello Sloatsburg Hillburn Haverstraw Stony Point New Square
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Key broken in a lock?

Don't force it — forcing makes extraction harder. Call us and we'll come extract cleanly and cut you a fresh key.

Call (845) 490-8899 WhatsApp
Omer Aviram, owner of Rockland Locksmith, in the Spring Valley shop

Omer Aviram

Owner · Rockland Locksmith

Rockland Locksmith is not just a van showing up from somewhere unknown. We are a real locksmith shop on 274 Old Nyack Turnpike in Spring Valley, serving Rockland County since 2014.

Customers call us because they want someone local, licensed, experienced, and accountable. Whether it is a car key, home lock, commercial door, safe, keypad lock, or emergency lockout, the service is backed by a real storefront and the person whose name is on the license.

Serving Rockland County, including Spring Valley, Monsey, New City, Nyack, Nanuet, Suffern, and nearby areas.
NYS DOS License #2094265
Call direct: (845) 490-8899