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Crenshaw Lock

Broken Key Extraction in Sylmar · 24/7 mobile

Broken Key Extraction in Sylmar, CA

Crenshaw Lock Company provides broken key extraction in Sylmar, California, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our fully mobile locksmiths come to your door, car, or gate, remove the snapped key piece, and cut a working replacement. Call (323) 997-8867 to get started.

  • Mobile to your Sylmar 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
Open now(323) 997-8867

A key snapping off in a lock is one of those small disasters that feels enormous in the moment. Maybe you were turning a stiff deadbolt at the end of a long drive home on the I-5, or the ignition in your car finally gave up while you were running late. Either way, the key is in two pieces, one of them is stuck in the cylinder, and you are probably locked out or unable to start your vehicle.

The good news is that a broken key is usually very fixable, and often without damaging the lock. Extraction takes the right thin tools, a steady hand, and some patience, because pushing at the fragment with a screwdriver or gluing it to another key (a common home remedy) is how a simple job becomes a replaced cylinder. If you can see part of the key sticking out, leave it alone and call us.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, led by owner and lead technician David Shar. We are mobile only, so there is no shop to drive to. We come to you in Sylmar, whether you are on a tract-home street near Foothill Boulevard, at a gated property, or at a barn gate on a larger lot.

How it works in Sylmar

  1. 1

    You call and describe what happened

    Call (323) 997-8867 any hour. Tell us what the lock is (front door, deadbolt, padlock, car ignition, or door handle) and whether any part of the key is still sticking out. That helps us bring the right extraction tools and blank key stock.

  2. 2

    We assess the lock and the fragment

    On arrival we look at how the key broke and where the piece sits. A fragment flush with the face of the cylinder is a different job from one lodged deep in the plug, and a worn or dusty lock behaves differently from a clean one.

  3. 3

    Careful extraction

    We use thin extractor tools made for this work to hook or grip the broken piece and draw it straight out, working to protect the pins and the cylinder. If the lock is gritty, we clean and lubricate as needed so the fragment is not dragged against debris.

  4. 4

    Cutting a replacement key

    Once the fragment is out, we can often use it, or the other half of the key, as the pattern to cut a new working key. If neither is usable, we can work from the lock itself. We test the new key several times before we call the job finished.

  5. 5

    Checking the lock and the cause

    Keys rarely snap for no reason. We check for a sticking latch, a misaligned strike, a worn old key, or a failing cylinder. If the real culprit is a door that has shifted or a lock that is worn out, we tell you plainly and explain your options.

  6. 6

    Rekey or replace only if it makes sense

    If the cylinder was damaged, or you would like the old key pattern retired, we can rekey or replace it. That is your decision. We do not push upgrades you do not need.

Need broken key extraction in Sylmar?

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 house cylinder, a high-security lock, a padlock, and a car ignition each call for different tools and different levels of effort.
  • How deep the fragment sits and how it broke, since a piece still visible at the face is usually simpler than one jammed far into the plug.
  • Whether the lock is clean and working or gritty, corroded, or worn, which is common on weather-exposed gates, barns, and tack rooms.
  • Whether a replacement key is cut from the old pieces or has to be made from the lock itself, and whether it is a basic key or a transponder or chip key for a vehicle.
  • Whether the cylinder came through undamaged or needs rekeying or replacement afterward.
  • The time of day and the location of the job, since we are available around the clock and travel to you.

Why Sylmar chooses us

  • Fully mobile, 24/7: we come to your home, vehicle, or property in Sylmar rather than asking you to bring a broken lock anywhere.
  • In business in Greater Los Angeles since 1987, with owner David Shar leading the work.
  • Extraction first: we try to save your existing lock before suggesting a replacement, and we are upfront if the lock really does need to go.
  • We cut the new key on site, so you are not left with a lock that works but no key to open it.
  • We look at why the key broke, whether that is a shifted frame, a worn lock, or a bent key, so it does not happen again next month.
  • We handle both buildings and vehicles, from deadbolts and padlocks to car ignitions and door locks.

Broken Key Extraction across Sylmar

Sylmar stretches from the valley floor up into the San Gabriel foothills, and the locks here live very different lives depending on where they are. In the 91342 ZIP code you will find 1960s to 1980s tract homes whose original deadbolts have turned thousands of times, older modest houses, and newer gated subdivisions. Sylmar was the epicenter of the 1971 earthquake and took heavy effects from Northridge in 1994, so a door frame that has settled or racked slightly is common. When the strike and the bolt no longer line up, people force the key, and that is exactly when keys snap.

In Rancho Cascades and other gated communities, a broken key can mean more than a stuck front door. These properties often have keypads, call-boxes, and electronic driveway gates alongside traditional locks, and we can help sort out which part is actually failing. Up in the El Cariso area and toward the Olive View foothills, larger lots and equestrian properties are common, with barns, tack rooms, and trailers secured by padlocks. Santa Ana dust and grit get into those locks, and a gritty padlock is a prime candidate for a snapped key. In those cases we extract the piece and can suggest a weather-resistant, shrouded padlock if the old one is worn out.

Whether you are near Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, around Hubbard Street or Roxford Street, off Foothill Boulevard, or coming home from a drive through the I-5, I-210, and SR-14 Newhall Pass interchange to find your key snapped in the door, call (323) 997-8867. We are mobile only, with no storefront to visit, and we come to you at any hour.

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 Sylmar locksmith services

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

Broken Key Extraction in Sylmar — FAQs

Can you get a broken key out without damaging my lock?
In most cases, yes. Thin extractor tools let us draw the fragment out without harming the cylinder. If the lock was already worn or damaged, we will tell you before doing anything. Call (323) 997-8867 and describe the situation.
Should I try to pull the broken piece out myself?
We recommend against it. Pliers, screwdrivers, and especially glue tend to push the fragment deeper or damage the pins. If part of the key is still visible, leave it and call us.
Can you extract a key broken in a car ignition in Sylmar?
Yes. We handle broken keys in car ignitions and door locks and can cut a replacement. Tell us the make, model, and year when you call (323) 997-8867 so we can bring the right key stock.
Will I get a new key after the old one is extracted?
Yes. Replacing the key is part of the service. We can often copy from the broken pieces, and if that is not possible we can work from the lock. We test the new key before we leave.
My gate padlock on a barn or tack room broke my key. Can you help?
Yes. Dust and grit in padlocks on outbuildings are a common cause of snapped keys on Sylmar properties. We can extract the fragment, and if the padlock is worn out we can suggest a weather-resistant, shrouded replacement.
Why does my key keep sticking before it breaks?
Common causes are a worn key, a gritty or dry lock, or a door that has shifted so the bolt no longer lines up with the strike. Older Sylmar homes with settled or racked frames often have this problem. We can check the cause and fix it.
Do I need to replace the lock after a broken key?
Not always. If the cylinder is undamaged, extraction and a new key may be all you need. If it is damaged or you want the old key pattern retired, rekeying or replacement is an option, and we explain it first.
Are you available at night and on weekends?
Yes. We are available 24/7 and fully mobile, so we come to you in Sylmar at any hour. Call (323) 997-8867 whenever you need us.
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