Key snapped off in the deadbolt, ignition, or padlock. We extract the broken piece without damaging the lock — usually under 15 minutes, $70-120. Then we cut you a replacement on-site.
Broken key extraction across PSL — door locks (residential + commercial), car ignitions, car door cylinders, padlocks. Lock survives 90%+ of the time.
Cost: $70-120 for the extraction. Plus key cutting ($45-90 standard, $160-290 transponder) for the replacement.
Most calls finish on-site in 30-45 minutes total — extraction + replacement key. Tech is dispatched in 15-30 minutes typical PSL.
Five common scenarios where keys snap:
1. Worn key + worn cylinder. The key has been losing material gradually, the cylinder wafers are misaligned, and one day the rotational force exceeds the key's structural strength. Hits hardest on basic-cut house keys made from brass that's been duplicated 4-5 times (each duplication adds small errors). PSL homes that haven't had a fresh cut in 8+ years are the typical victims.
2. Cold key, warm lock (or vice versa). Brass expands and contracts with temperature. A key that was in your air-conditioned house going into a sun-baked deadbolt at 2 PM in July sometimes wedges and snaps. The reverse happens less but does happen.
3. Wrong key in the wrong lock. Trying to force your house key into the car ignition. Trying to force a duplicate that wasn't cut right. The wafers won't move, you twist harder, key snaps.
4. Worn ignition cylinder. Most common on Chevy / GM trucks 2000-2010 and Ford F-150 2003-2010. The wafer wear is asymmetric, key has to be jiggled to find the sweet spot, eventually the off-axis loading breaks the blade. We see this weekly.
5. Cheap key blank. Big-box-store keys cut on worn duplication machines from soft brass. Lasts 6-12 months before becoming a liability.
The extraction approach depends on how the key broke and where the fragment is sitting:
Key extractor tools. Thin spring-steel hooks designed to slip past the wafers, catch the broken edge, and pull the fragment out. We carry several profiles — the right hook depends on the keyway. Takes 2-10 minutes for typical pin-tumbler locks.
Pin reset + bypass. Sometimes the wafers are stuck on the broken fragment. The tech opens the cylinder, resets the pins, and removes the fragment from the back. Takes 10-25 minutes, requires cylinder pull.
Drill + tap. Last resort when the fragment has welded to the wafers through corrosion or force. We drill a tiny pilot, tap a sheet-metal screw into the fragment, and pull it out. Sometimes the cylinder is sacrificed; we tell you in advance.
For ignitions: the steering column position matters. If the wheel is turned hard against the column lock, the wafers are loaded — we wiggle the wheel while extracting to relieve the load.
For each call, we evaluate first, quote second, work third. The vast majority of broken-key calls finish without lock damage.
| Service | Typical Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard key extraction (residential deadbolt) | $70 - $120 | Plus replacement key cost. |
| Ignition key extraction | $80 - $160 | Plus transponder reprogram if needed. |
| Car door cylinder key extraction | $70 - $130 | Most makes. |
| Padlock extraction | $50 - $100 | Often combined with rekey or replacement. |
| Extraction + cylinder rebuild (lock saved) | $150 - $260 | When wafers are damaged. |
| Extraction + cylinder replacement (lock not savable) | $220 - $380 | Includes Grade-2 replacement cylinder. |
| Replacement house key cut on-site | $8 - $25 | From broken half or cylinder code. |
| Replacement transponder car key cut + program | $160 - $290 | Basic transponder. |
| Question | Doctor Lockout | AutoZone / Walmart | Dealer (for ignition) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comes to your location | Yes | No - you bring lock + fragment in | No - you tow |
| Extracts ignition broken key | Yes - on-site | No | Yes - after tow |
| Cost for ignition extraction | $80-160 | N/A | $180-380 (incl tow) |
| Preserves the lock (no full replacement) | Yes - 90%+ of time | N/A | Usually replaces |
| Cuts replacement key on-site | Yes - including transponder | Basic cuts only | Yes - after blank order |
Real person on the phone in under 2 rings. Locksmith on-site in 15-30 minutes. Honest price before any tools come out.
Call (772) 284-5142Yes, 90%+ of the time. We use spring-steel key extractor tools that slip past the wafers, catch the broken edge, and pull the fragment without disturbing the lock. The lock works normally afterward.
Most cases 5-15 minutes for the extraction itself. Plus cutting a replacement key on-site (5-15 min for basic, 30-60 min for transponder). Total visit time is usually 30-45 minutes from when the tech arrives.
$80-160 for the extraction. If the ignition cylinder is damaged in the process (rare but possible when corrosion has welded the fragment), full cylinder replacement is $220-380 including labor. Plus transponder reprogram for vehicles 2000+ ($60-120 if needed).
We can usually still cut a replacement from the cylinder code itself. The tech inspects the wafer positions inside the cylinder after the fragment is extracted and cuts a key to match. Adds ~10 minutes and costs the same as a normal replacement key.
Yes — same technique. Padlocks and storage unit locks have the same wafer / pin construction as residential cylinders. We extract, evaluate the lock, and either rekey it or recommend replacement based on what we see.
Yes in the vast majority of cases. We test the lock with a fresh-cut key before leaving — turn, latch, deadbolt extension, key removal. If anything is rough, we rebuild the cylinder on-site before signing off.
Broken key calls come from every PSL neighborhood — older homes with brass deadbolts that have been duplicated too many times (Bayshore, Sandpiper Bay, parts of older PSL), and ignition calls on aging trucks across PSL Boulevard, US-1, and the auto dealerships.
Last updated: 2026-05-17