Broken Key Extraction

There is no single flat rate because several variables shape the final price: the type of lock involved (a standard door knob lock, a commercial mortise lock, or an automotive ignition each require different tools and time), the depth and position of the fragment, the time of day the call comes in, and travel distance from our current mobile position. If cylinder damage from prior amateur extraction attempts requires a replacement part, that factors in as well. What we always do is confirm an exact price with you before any work starts — the number you approve is the number on the invoice, with no hidden additions.

A trained locksmith brings purpose-built extraction tools — hooked picks, spiral extractors, and cylinder-specific jigs — sized precisely for the lock or ignition in question. More importantly, the technician reads the position and orientation of the fragment first, choosing the approach least likely to push the piece deeper or score the cylinder walls. DIY attempts with household tools almost always worsen the situation because pliers and tweezers grip the fragment against the pin stacks rather than guiding it along the keyway. A professional can also assess the cylinder's condition after extraction and, if needed, re-key or replace hardware on the same visit from a mobile unit.

Skilled locksmiths can work on virtually all common residential and commercial lock types, including standard pin-tumbler cylinders, mortise lock assemblies, disc-detainer locks, wafer locks, and most automotive ignition formats. Certain high-security or specialty locks — some biometric systems, proprietary electronic locking mechanisms, or heavily damaged cylinders where the plug has completely seized — may require manufacturer involvement or hardware replacement rather than conventional extraction. Our technicians will tell you honestly on arrival if a given situation falls outside what extraction can resolve and explain what the appropriate next step is.

Great Neck is widely recognized as one of the more affluent communities on the North Shore of Long Island, and many properties here feature premium or high-security lock hardware — custom mortise lock assemblies, multi-point locking doors, and late-model vehicles with sophisticated ignition systems. That hardware variety does influence pricing because more complex locks require more specialized tools and technician time. However, our pricing structure is based purely on the actual job requirements — lock type, fragment position, time of call, and any parts needed — not on neighborhood demographics. Every customer receives the same transparent up-front quote regardless of where in the Great Neck area they are located.

In most cases, yes. A mortise lock cylinder is a self-contained insert that sits within the larger lock body, and extraction is performed on the cylinder itself. If the fragment is recovered cleanly and the cylinder shows no pin damage or scoring, the lock can often be returned to full service with a new key cut or a re-key. Replacement of the full mortise lock body is only recommended when the cylinder is mechanically compromised — cracked plug, damaged pin stacks — or when the customer wants to upgrade the security level of the lock at the same time. We will always explain exactly what the inspection finds before recommending any additional work.

Yes. Our commercial locksmith services cover offices, retail storefronts, multi-tenant buildings, and other commercial properties throughout Great Neck and surrounding Nassau County. Commercial doors frequently use mortise lock hardware and heavy-duty cylinders that require specific extraction approaches, and our technicians carry the tooling for those formats as well as for panic hardware and high-security commercial cylinders. If a front-door extraction before a business opens is keeping your staff locked out, call (516) 212-1091 — we answer 24/7 and prioritize commercial emergency calls alongside residential ones.