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Crenshaw Lock

Broken Key Extraction in Simi Valley · 24/7 mobile

Broken Key Extraction in Simi Valley, California

Crenshaw Lock Company provides 24/7 mobile broken key extraction in Simi Valley, California. If a key has snapped in a door, deadbolt, padlock, or ignition, we come to you, remove the fragment, and cut a working replacement. Call (323) 997-8867 any hour, any day.

  • Mobile to your Simi Valley 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 in the lock is one of the most frustrating small disasters there is. One moment you are heading out the door in Wood Ranch or turning the ignition in a parking space at the Simi Valley Town Center, and the next you are holding half a key while the other half sits stubbornly inside the cylinder. The instinct is to grab pliers or try to wiggle it out. Please resist that, because pushing the fragment deeper or bending pins is how a simple extraction becomes a lock replacement.

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 break. We are fully mobile, so there is no shop to drive to. We work at your door, your gate, your car, or your business, around the clock, and we bring the tools to pull the fragment cleanly and make a new key on the spot.

Simi Valley has a wide mix of hardware, and that matters for broken keys. Worn original Kwikset and Schlage deadbolts on 1970s ranch homes tend to snap keys because the brass has fatigued over decades. Newer HOA-standardized hardware in gated communities, and automotive ignitions, behave differently. Knowing which kind of lock you have helps us choose the right approach from the start.

How it works in Simi Valley

  1. 1

    You call, we ask the right questions

    Call (323) 997-8867 and tell us what the key broke in: a front door, a deadbolt, a padlock, a mailbox, or a car ignition. We will ask whether any of the key is sticking out, what brand the lock is if you know, and whether the door is currently locked or open. That helps us bring the right tools.

  2. 2

    We come to your location

    We are 24/7 and fully mobile, so we travel to your home, vehicle, or business anywhere in Simi Valley. Before we start, we confirm the work and explain what we expect to do, so there are no surprises.

  3. 3

    Assess the break

    We look at where the key sheared, how much is visible, and the condition of the lock. A clean break with a bit of key protruding is a different job than a fragment seated deep behind the first pin. Worn cylinders and ignition wafers each call for their own technique.

  4. 4

    Extract the fragment carefully

    Using purpose-made extractors and fine picks, we draw the piece out without scarring the keyway or damaging the pins where possible. We avoid forcing anything, because the goal is to save your lock if it can be saved.

  5. 5

    Cut a working replacement key

    Once the cylinder is clear, we cut a new key and test it several times for smooth turning. If we need the broken halves as a reference, we can use them, and we can also cut by code or by decoding the lock when the pieces are not usable.

  6. 6

    Check the lock and advise honestly

    We test the lock afterward. If the cylinder is worn enough that the key will likely snap again, we tell you plainly and offer rekeying or replacement as an option, but only if it genuinely makes sense.

Need broken key extraction in Simi Valley?

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 standard door deadbolt, a padlock, a high-security cylinder, and a vehicle ignition all take different amounts of time and tooling.
  • How deep the fragment sits and whether it has jammed against the pins, which determines how delicate the extraction is.
  • The type of replacement key needed: a basic brass key, a high-security key, or a transponder or chip key for a vehicle each involve different equipment and programming.
  • Whether the lock is still sound after extraction or needs rekeying or repair because the cylinder was worn or damaged.
  • The time of day and the location of the job, since we serve you around the clock and travel to you.
  • Whether more than one lock is affected, such as a full set of keys with matching worn hardware.

Why Simi Valley chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: our tools and key-cutting equipment come with us, so extraction and the new key happen in the same visit.
  • In business since 1987, with owner David Shar leading the work, so experience with older and worn hardware is built in.
  • We try to save your lock first rather than defaulting to replacement, and we tell you honestly when a cylinder is too worn to keep.
  • We handle homes, vehicles, and commercial doors, from tract-home deadbolts to storefront locks and ignition cylinders.
  • 24/7 availability, because keys do not only break at convenient hours.
  • We work carefully around finishes, which matters in HOA communities where hardware is standardized and appearance counts.

Broken Key Extraction across Simi Valley

Simi Valley's housing stock shapes the broken-key calls we see. In the Texas Tract and across much of the 93063 and 93065 areas, many 1970s ranch homes still use original or heavily worn Kwikset and Schlage residential hardware. Decades of daily use leave brass keys fatigued, and a snapped key in a sticky deadbolt is common. When that happens we extract the piece and often recommend rekeying or swapping the worn deadbolt, especially after a tenant move-out.

In Wood Ranch and Big Sky, the homes are newer, with modern deadbolts, HOA-standardized hardware, and more smart locks. A broken key there calls for a gentler hand, since matching the existing finish and keeping the lock consistent with community standards matters. In Santa Susana Knolls and near Bridle Path, older and more rustic homes on winding lanes can have unusual or aging locks, and we plan for that when we arrive.

Vehicles break keys too. Whether you are parked near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, at Rancho Simi Community Park, shopping at the Simi Valley Town Center, or stopped along Madera Rd or Cochran St, we can come to you. We also help businesses along Cochran and First St when a key snaps in a storefront lock. Whatever the location, 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.

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Other Simi Valley locksmith services

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

Broken Key Extraction in Simi Valley — FAQs

Can you really get a broken key out without replacing my lock?
Often, yes. If the key snapped cleanly and the cylinder is in decent shape, we can usually extract the fragment and keep the lock. If the lock is badly worn, we will tell you and discuss rekeying or replacement. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe your situation.
Should I try to pull the broken key out myself?
We suggest not forcing it. Pliers, tweezers, or glue can push the fragment deeper, bend pins, or damage the keyway. If a bit of the key is sticking out, leave it alone and call us.
Do you handle broken keys in car ignitions in Simi Valley?
Yes. We are mobile, so we come to your vehicle wherever it is parked in Simi Valley. Ignition work depends on the vehicle, and we can discuss a replacement key too. Call (323) 997-8867 any time.
Will you also make me a new key?
Yes. After extraction we cut a replacement and test it. The type depends on your lock or vehicle, from a standard brass key to a high-security or chip key.
Why do keys break so often in older homes?
Many 1970s ranch homes still have original hardware. Years of use can wear the cylinder and fatigue the key, so more force is needed to turn it, and keys can snap. Rekeying or replacing worn deadbolts can prevent a repeat.
Do you work nights and weekends?
Yes, we are available 24/7 and fully mobile. A key that breaks late at night or on a holiday is just as urgent, so call (323) 997-8867 whenever it happens.
Can you help if the key broke in a business door?
Yes. We work on storefront locks, commercial deadbolts, and similar hardware at shops and offices in Simi Valley, including strip retail and business parks.
How is the price determined?
It depends on the type of lock, how deep the fragment is, the kind of replacement key needed, and whether the lock needs repair afterward. We explain the work before we begin.
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