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Crenshaw Lock

Broken Key Extraction in Canoga Park · 24/7 mobile

Broken Key Extraction in Canoga Park, California

Crenshaw Lock Company provides mobile broken key extraction in Canoga Park, California, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a key has snapped in a door, deadbolt, padlock, or ignition, call (323) 997-8867 and we will come to you, remove the piece, and cut a working replacement.

  • Mobile to your Canoga Park location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
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Broken key stuck in a lock cylinder next to an extractor tool
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A key that snaps off in the lock always seems to happen at a bad moment: late at night after a shift, on the way out the door in the morning, or just as you are locking up the shop. In Canoga Park, where so many homes and apartments date to the 1950s and 60s, it is a common problem. Brass keys that have been copied from copies for decades get soft and worn, and a worn key under a little torque can shear right at the shoulder.

The good news is that a broken key is usually fixable without replacing the lock. The piece stuck in the cylinder can often be removed cleanly, the lock tested, and a new key cut from the lock itself. The most important thing you can do is stop trying to turn it. Do not push the fragment deeper, do not use glue, and do not pry with a knife tip, because each of those can turn a simple extraction into a drilled-out cylinder.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and owner and lead technician David Shar built the business around working on-site. We are fully mobile, with no storefront to visit. We bring the tools and key-cutting equipment to your door, driveway, or parking lot in Canoga Park, so the whole job gets handled where the problem is.

How it works in Canoga Park

  1. 1

    You call and describe what happened

    Call (323) 997-8867 any hour. Tell us what kind of lock it is, whether part of the key is still sticking out, and whether the door is currently locked or unlocked. That helps us bring the right extraction tools and blanks.

  2. 2

    Assess the lock and the fragment

    On arrival we look at how the key broke and how deep the piece sits. A fragment flush with the face of the cylinder is a different job from one lodged past the first pins, and a worn deadbolt, a padlock, and a car ignition each behave differently.

  3. 3

    Extract the broken piece

    We use thin purpose-made extraction tools to hook or grip the fragment and draw it straight out without damaging the pins. We work slowly, because forcing it is how cylinders get ruined. If the key is sticking out, we can often remove it with minimal intrusion.

  4. 4

    Test and clean the cylinder

    Once the piece is out, we check the cylinder for bent pins, debris, or wear that caused the break. A worn lock that is likely to snap another key is worth knowing about before you walk away.

  5. 5

    Cut a replacement key

    We cut a new working key on-site, usually from the lock itself, and test it several times. If the broken key was a poor copy, we can cut a fresh one that is more accurate than what you had.

  6. 6

    Rekey or repair if needed

    If the cylinder is damaged, we can rekey it, repair it, or replace it. We explain the options and you choose. Often the original lock can be kept in service.

Need broken key extraction in Canoga Park?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • Where the fragment is lodged: a piece visible at the face is simpler than one pushed deep into the cylinder.
  • Type of lock: a standard deadbolt, a vintage mortise lock, a padlock, a high-security cylinder, and a car ignition each call for different tools and time.
  • Whether a replacement key is needed, and what kind: a basic brass key differs from a transponder or high-security key that needs special blanks or programming.
  • Whether the cylinder is damaged and needs repair, rekeying, or replacement after the extraction.
  • Time of day and location: after-hours calls at night or on weekends are different from daytime scheduled visits.
  • How many locks are involved, for example if you want matching keys or several doors rekeyed in the same visit.

Why Canoga Park chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we come to your door in Canoga Park, so there is no towing the door to a shop and no storefront trip.
  • In business since 1987, which means we have worked on everything from pre-1960 warded locks to current deadbolts.
  • We try to save the lock first. Extraction is the goal, and drilling is a last resort rather than a first move.
  • Comfortable with vintage hardware, including mortise locks in older bungalows, where preserving the original escutcheon matters.
  • Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because keys do not break on business hours.
  • We explain what we find and what your options are, including when a lock is worn enough to be worth rekeying or replacing.

Broken Key Extraction across Canoga Park

Canoga Park has a wide mix of housing, and each type breaks keys in its own way. Around the original Owensmouth townsite, which dates to 1912, you will find 1910s to 1930s stucco and Spanish bungalows, some still with original mortise and warded hardware. Those locks are often worth saving, and a broken key there calls for a careful extraction rather than a swap, especially when the owner wants to keep the vintage escutcheon.

A short drive away, the 1950s and 60s tract homes and dingbat apartments off Sherman Way, Vanowen Street, and Roscoe Boulevard tend to have builder-grade deadbolts that have seen decades of use. A tenant in one of those buildings in 91303 or 91304 who snaps a worn key late at night can get the fragment removed, a new key cut, and the cylinder rekeyed so old copies no longer work. Along the Sherman Way commercial corridor, near the historic downtown district and the Madrid Theatre, aluminum-storefront strip retail often has storefront locks and panic hardware, and a broken key there can be handled before opening time.

We also work in the Gault Street and Topanga area near Warner Center and Westfield Topanga, in 91305 and 91309, and around Canoga Park High School and Lanark Park. Whether you are near Topanga Canyon Boulevard, De Soto Avenue, Canoga Avenue, or just off the Ventura Freeway, call (323) 997-8867 and we will come to you.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

Other Canoga Park locksmith services

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

Broken Key Extraction in Canoga Park — FAQs

What should I do right after a key breaks in the lock?
Stop turning it and do not push the piece deeper or use glue. Leave the lock as it is and call (323) 997-8867. If part of the key is sticking out, do not pull with pliers, since that can snap it flush.
Can you get a broken key out without damaging the lock?
Usually, yes. Thin extraction tools can remove the fragment without harming the pins. Drilling is a last resort and is only needed when the piece is jammed or the cylinder is already badly damaged.
Do you serve Canoga Park at night and on weekends?
Yes. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and fully mobile, so we come to your home, business, or vehicle in Canoga Park. Call (323) 997-8867 any time.
Will you cut a new key at my door?
Yes. After extraction we can cut a replacement key on-site, usually from the lock itself, and test it before we leave. Special keys such as transponder keys may need different blanks.
Why do keys break so often in older apartments?
Worn builder-grade deadbolts and keys that have been copied many times get weak and rough. A small amount of binding in an aging lock can be enough to shear a worn key, which is common in older rental buildings.
Can you fix an old mortise lock in a 1920s bungalow?
Often we can. Older mortise and warded locks can frequently be extracted, repaired, and rekeyed without replacing the original hardware, which lets you keep the vintage escutcheon.
Do you handle broken keys in car ignitions too?
Yes. We can remove a broken key from an ignition or door lock on a vehicle and cut a replacement. Call (323) 997-8867 with the make, model, and year so we know what to bring.
Should I rekey after a key breaks?
Not always, but it is worth considering. If the lock is worn, or lost copies of the key are around, rekeying makes old keys useless. We will tell you what we see and let you decide.
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