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Crenshaw Lock

Broken Key Extraction in Claremont · 24/7 mobile

Broken Key Extraction in Claremont, CA

Crenshaw Lock Company provides broken key extraction in Claremont, California, available 24/7 and fully mobile. If a key has snapped in a door lock, deadbolt, padlock, or ignition, we come to you, remove the broken piece, and cut a replacement. Call (323) 997-8867.

  • Mobile to your Claremont 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 is one of those problems that seems small until you are standing on the porch with half a key in your hand. In Claremont it can happen anywhere: at a Craftsman bungalow near the Village, at a dorm door on campus, at a shop off Yale Ave, or in the ignition of a car parked along Foothill Blvd. The good news is that a broken key is usually fixable without replacing the lock, as long as nobody tries to force it.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and owner and lead technician David Shar has seen nearly every way a key can fail. We are fully mobile and available around the clock. There is no storefront to visit, so you do not have to get anywhere with a broken key. We come to the lock, whether that is a front door, a rear gate, a padlock, or a vehicle.

The most useful thing you can do before we arrive is stop. Do not try to pull the fragment out with pliers, glue, or a second key. Those attempts tend to push the piece deeper, bend it, or damage the pins, and that turns a quick extraction into a rebuild. If part of the key is still sticking out, leave it alone and call (323) 997-8867.

How it works in Claremont

  1. 1

    Assess the lock and the break

    We start by looking at what kind of lock it is, how the key broke, and how much of the key remains visible. A fragment flush with the face of a deadbolt is a different job from a piece broken deep inside an old mortise lock or a car ignition cylinder.

  2. 2

    Extract the fragment carefully

    Using fine extractor tools, we engage the broken piece and draw it out without turning the cylinder or scraping the pins. When part of the key is still protruding, we can often grip it directly. When it is recessed, we work in from the keyway side.

  3. 3

    Check the lock for damage

    Once the fragment is out, we test the cylinder. Pins, springs, and wafers can be bent or dislodged by a key that has been forced for a long time. If the lock operates smoothly, it stays. If it does not, we explain the options, which may include cleaning, repinning, or rekeying.

  4. 4

    Cut a working replacement key

    Because a broken key is rarely the only copy you need, we cut a replacement on site. Where we can, we cut from the remaining pieces or by decoding the lock. For vehicles with transponder or chip keys, programming may be a separate step that we discuss before starting.

  5. 5

    Test and hand back

    We try the new key several times in the lock, in both directions, and confirm the door, gate, or ignition works as it should. Then we suggest simple ways to avoid a repeat, like replacing a worn key before it fails.

Need broken key extraction in Claremont?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • The type of lock: a standard residential deadbolt, an antique mortise lock, a padlock, and a car ignition all call for different tools and time.
  • How deep the fragment sits and whether it has been pushed in by earlier attempts to remove it.
  • Whether the lock cylinder was damaged and needs cleaning, repinning, rekeying, or replacement.
  • The kind of replacement key required, from a basic brass key to a high-security or transponder key that needs programming.
  • The time of day and the location, since we serve emergency calls around the clock and travel to you.
  • How many replacement keys you want cut at the same visit.

Why Claremont chooses us

  • We are fully mobile and available 24/7, so a snapped key at night or on a weekend does not have to wait until a shop opens.
  • Extraction comes first, replacement second: we try to save your existing lock rather than push you into a new one.
  • Familiarity with older hardware matters in a city with so many early twentieth century homes, where original mortise locks are worth preserving.
  • We cut the replacement key on site, so you are not left with a lock that works only until the next break.
  • Our work dates to 1987 and is led by owner David Shar, so the person on the job has real experience with stubborn broken keys.
  • We explain what we find and what the options are before doing anything beyond the extraction.

Broken Key Extraction across Claremont

Claremont has a mix of lock situations that you do not see in every city. In and around Claremont Village (ZIP 91711), many homes are 1900s to 1920s Craftsman bungalows and period houses, and their original mortise locks are often restored rather than replaced. Those old keys can be thin, worn, and brittle, and a snapped key in a mortise lock deserves a gentle hand. Extraction there is as much about protecting the lock as it is about removing the piece.

The Claremont Colleges, including Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer, add another kind of setting, with dorms, labs, and academic buildings run on institutional master-key and access-control systems. If a personal key breaks in a residential door or a bike lock on campus, we can help with the extraction. Work on building-wide systems is a separate matter that depends on who controls the keying. Around the Village, shop owners near Yale Ave also run into snapped keys in storefront deadbolts, especially at opening and closing time.

We also serve North Claremont and the hillside Claraboya area, where newer homes and driveways off Base Line Rd, Mills Ave, and Indian Hill Blvd can sit far from the main corridors. Whether you are near the California Botanic Garden, heading out from Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, or stuck at a car along Foothill Blvd or near the I-10 and SR-210, call (323) 997-8867 and we will come to you.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

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Other Claremont locksmith services

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

Broken Key Extraction in Claremont — FAQs

Can you get a broken key out without replacing my lock?
In most cases, yes. Careful extraction usually leaves the lock intact. After removing the piece we test the cylinder, and we only recommend repair or replacement if something inside was damaged. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe what happened.
What should I do right after my key breaks?
Stop using the key and do not try to dig the piece out with pliers, glue, or another key. That can wedge it deeper or damage the pins. Leave it as is and call us.
Do you handle broken keys in car ignitions in Claremont?
Yes. We handle broken keys in vehicle ignitions and door locks. Replacement may involve cutting and programming a transponder key, which we go over with you first. Call (323) 997-8867 any time.
Can you extract a broken key from an old mortise lock in a Craftsman home?
Yes, and we take extra care with them. Many older Claremont homes have original mortise locks that owners want to preserve, so we aim to extract the fragment and keep the hardware, repairing or rekeying only when needed.
Will you make a new key at the same visit?
Yes. We cut a replacement on site once the broken piece is out. If the key is a transponder or high-security type, there may be extra steps for programming or ordering, and we will tell you up front.
Are you available at night and on weekends?
We are a 24/7 mobile locksmith, so you can call at any hour. There is no storefront, because we come to your location in Claremont.
Can you help if a key broke in a business door near Yale Ave?
Yes. We handle storefront deadbolts and commercial locks. Extracting the fragment quickly lets a shop open on time, and we can cut a replacement key right there.
How is the price of broken key extraction decided?
It depends on the lock type, how deep the fragment is, any cylinder damage, the kind of replacement key, and the time and location. We do not quote numbers here, but you can call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your situation.
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