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Crenshaw Lock

Broken Key Extraction in Arleta · 24/7 mobile

Broken Key Extraction in Arleta, California

Crenshaw Lock Company provides broken key extraction in Arleta, California, 24/7, with a fully mobile technician who comes to your door or vehicle. If a key has snapped in a lock or ignition, call (323) 997-8867 and we will remove the piece and cut a working replacement.

  • Mobile to your Arleta location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
Broken key stuck in a lock cylinder next to an extractor tool
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A key that snaps off in a lock is one of those small disasters that always seems to happen at a bad moment: on the way out to work, late at night after a shift, or while wrestling with a stiff old deadbolt. In Arleta, where so many homes were built in the late 1940s and 1950s and still carry decades-old hardware, it happens more often than people expect. Brass keys fatigue, locks get gritty, and one extra bit of torque is all it takes.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and broken keys are a job we have handled in every kind of lock: tubular knob sets, deadbolts, padlocks, mailbox locks, security screen door locks, and vehicle doors and ignitions. We are fully mobile, so there is no shop to drive to. We bring the extraction tools and key-cutting capability to you, any hour of the day or night.

The goal is always the same: get the broken piece out without damaging the lock if at all possible, confirm the lock still works properly, and leave you with a new key that turns smoothly. If the lock is too worn or damaged to save, we will tell you plainly and talk through replacement or rekeying options rather than pushing something you do not need.

How it works in Arleta

  1. 1

    You call, we ask the right questions

    Call (323) 997-8867 and tell us what snapped and where: front door, security screen, garage padlock, car door, or ignition. Knowing whether part of the key is still sticking out, and what kind of lock it is, helps us bring the right tools.

  2. 2

    Look at the lock and the break

    On arrival we inspect how the key broke and how deep the fragment sits. A piece flush with the face of the lock is a different job than one pushed far into the plug, and we will explain what we see before starting.

  3. 3

    Extract the fragment carefully

    We use thin extractor tools and, where appropriate, other fine-tipped methods to hook and draw the broken piece out without scoring the pins or wafers. We avoid brute force, since that can turn a simple extraction into a lock replacement.

  4. 4

    Test and clean the lock

    Once the piece is out, we check the cylinder for damage and debris. A lock that let a key snap is often gritty or worn, so we clean and test it, and let you know honestly if it is nearing the end of its life.

  5. 5

    Cut a replacement key

    We cut a new working key, using the original pieces as reference where possible, or by code or impression when needed. For vehicles, we address the key type involved. We then test the new key several times in the lock.

  6. 6

    Recommend next steps if needed

    If the lock is worn, we may suggest a rekey or replacement. If your only copy snapped, we will suggest making a spare so you are not back in the same spot. The choice is always yours.

Need broken key extraction in Arleta?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • Where the key broke: a fragment sticking out of a door lock is generally simpler than one buried deep in a car ignition or a seized padlock.
  • The type of lock or ignition involved, since a basic tubular knob set, a heavy aftermarket deadbolt, and a modern vehicle ignition each call for different tools and time.
  • Whether the lock is worn, rusted, or damaged and needs repair, rekeying, or full replacement after the key is out.
  • The kind of replacement key needed: a simple cut brass key is different from a transponder or high-security vehicle key that needs programming.
  • Time of day and how far we travel, as we are available around the clock and fully mobile.
  • How many replacement or spare keys you want cut during the same visit.

Why Arleta chooses us

  • Owner-led experience: David Shar and Crenshaw Lock have been working on locks across Greater Los Angeles since 1987, so we have seen most ways a key can fail.
  • Fully mobile and 24/7: we come to your home, garage, or vehicle at any hour, with no storefront to visit.
  • Lock-saving first: we try to extract the fragment without damaging the cylinder, and we are straightforward when a lock should be replaced.
  • We cut the replacement on the spot, so you are not left with a clean extraction and still no working key.
  • We understand older Arleta hardware, including mid-century Kwikset and Weiser knob sets, wrought-iron security screen door locks, and aging garage padlocks.
  • Plain explanations: we tell you what we found and your options before we do additional work.

Broken Key Extraction across Arleta

Arleta is largely a neighborhood of post-war tract homes: modest one-story stucco and ranch houses on gridded streets, many with attached or detached garages. Around the Branford Park district and near Branford Recreation Center & Park, it is common to find original mid-century knob sets still in daily use. After seventy-some years, internal parts wear and a key that has been bent or worn smooth can snap in the lock. We also see this when a tenant moves out and a worn entry set finally gives up, and a snapped key leads naturally into a rekey.

Along the Van Nuys Boulevard corridor and the Woodman Avenue / Osborne Street commercial strip, you will find a mix of single-family homes, 1960s and 1970s garden apartments, and small businesses. Many properties sit behind wrought-iron security screen doors, and those screen-door locks wear out in their own right. A key breaking in a screen door lock or a rusted garage or side-gate padlock is a very Arleta kind of call, and we handle both, including cutting a seized padlock when extraction is not realistic and re-securing the property.

Whether you are in ZIP code 91331 near Arleta High School, off Branford Street, or anywhere in between, we come to you. Call (323) 997-8867 any time and we will get a technician headed your way with the tools to extract the key and cut a new one.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

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Other Arleta locksmith services

See all of our Arleta services, or our citywide broken key extraction page.

Broken Key Extraction in Arleta — FAQs

Can you really get a broken key out without damaging my lock?
In many cases, yes. We use thin extractor tools made for this job and work gently to avoid damaging the pins. If the lock is already worn or the fragment is jammed deep, we will explain that. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe your situation.
Do you provide broken key extraction in Arleta at night or on weekends?
Yes. Crenshaw Lock Company is available 24/7 and fully mobile, so we come to your Arleta home, garage, or vehicle at any hour. Call (323) 997-8867 and we will take it from there.
What should I do before you arrive?
Stop turning the key, and do not try to dig out the fragment with a knife or pliers, which can push it deeper or damage the lock. If part of the key is still out, avoid pulling hard. Keep any pieces you have, since they help us cut a replacement.
Will you cut me a new key after the extraction?
Yes. Replacement key cutting is part of the service, and we test the new key in the lock. If you want spares, we can cut those during the same visit.
My key broke in a wrought-iron security screen door. Can you help?
Yes. Security screen door locks are common in Arleta and wear out over time. We can extract the broken piece, then repair, rekey, or replace the lock if it is too worn to trust.
The key snapped in my car ignition. Is that different?
It can be. Ignitions involve different hardware, and some vehicle keys need programming. We will look at the vehicle, explain what is needed, and call (323) 997-8867 is the best way to start so we can bring the right tools.
What if the lock is damaged after the key comes out?
We will show you what we found and offer options: cleaning and testing, repair, rekeying, or replacement. We do not push replacement if the lock still works well.
Should I rekey after a key breaks?
Not always. A broken key does not by itself mean someone else has access. But if you have had tenants move out, lost other keys, or the lock is worn out, a rekey or replacement makes sense. We can talk it through when we arrive.
DS

Reviewed by David Shar — Owner & Lead Technician

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-12.

Call (323) 997-8867 · Open 24/7