If your keys locked in the car, you know how frustrating it can be. Assuming you’ve decided not to risk hiding an extra set of keys in your car, here are a few tips to get you back on the road.

Tips for Breaking a Side Window on a Car

• If your window is not too expensive to replace, you can always try and break the window to get in.
• You need something sharp. A hammer would surely be convenient but you will want to use the claw end. A screwdriver would also be handy. Maybe a golf club or a sturdy ice window scraper would do.
• The center of a car glass window is the strongest. Try breaking the glass closer to the edge where it is weakest.
• Tinted glass is the best because it will not shatter. The tint will hold it together yet still allow the glass to be broken and removed. Always choose the window furthest from a child to protect him or her from shattered glass spray.
• It can be frustrating trying to get the glass to break when you do not have something sharp to get the job done. Keep calm and ask someone nearby if they can help. Beating relentlessly on a glass window without the proper tool will only cause you more stress.

If breaking a window is not an option, you can try opening the car yourself by:

• Sliding a deflated blood pressure cuff in between the top corner of the driver’s side door
• Blow the cuff up until there is a small gap creating an opening in the vehicle
• Do not over expand the cuff because it could damage the door
• Use a wire coat hanger or other long, skinny object that will fit
• Squeeze the coat hanger into the opening and hit the unlock button

Obviously, most people do not have a blood pressure cuff lying around. Plus, it will probably take a little fiddling to get the cuff into the door. You really want to be careful about bending the door by over inflating the cuff. A damaged door can cost a whole lot more to repair than hiring a tow service.

Call A Locksmith And Retrieve Your Keys Locked In The Car

Again, we understand that most people do not have a blood pressure cuff lying around. It is certainly even less likely that you will have access to it at the exact moment you are locked out of the car.

Therefore, the best and simplest way to get your vehicle unlocked is to call a locksmith and then determine if you have a roadside assistance plan that will reimburse you. Our locksmith company is open 24 hours a day to help you get back into your car or home day or night. So call Northridge Lock and Safe at (818) 296-1032 and get a free quote over the phone right away!

7 Ways to Extract a Key Stuck in Door Lock

It can be very frustrating to leave in the morning and feel your key breaking in the lock just before you head off to work. As a matter of fact, it’s most people’s worst nightmare, especially if you own a home or business.

However, there is no need to worry. We’ve assembled 7 ways to extract your key stuck in door lock without having to call a locksmith right away.

So if you have the time and patience to stick with what we’re about to show you, you’re in luck.

Extracting a key stuck in door lock will depend on a few things: how far it’s lodged in the cylinder, what tools you have on hand, and how much time you ultimately have to solve this problem.

1. Try using your hands first

   • Assuming there’s enough of the key still sticking out of the lock, try and pry it out the best you can.

2. Use a flathead screwdriver to try to pry the key out

   • This method works best when the key isn’t sticking out of the lock.

3. Use Needle Nose Pliers

   • If you have a swiss army knife or something like it on hand, you can use this tool to grip the edges of the broken key and pull it out slowly but surely. You can also use needle nose pliers to turn the lock itself if the key is too hard to extract.

4. Use an Extractor Tool

   • For this method, you will want to first spray the lock with a lubricant to help the key slide out easily. Next, you’ll want to align the cylinder to either a locked or unlocked position. After that, you’ll want to locate the large groove on the side of the key and find the best spot for the extractor tool to fit. Next, insert the proper extractor tool until it hooks the bitting, or the groove, of the key fragment. Then, twist it slightly, and pull. It might take a few times, but once you get used to the motion, the key should come out eventually.

5. Push the key

   • Sometimes, locks have removable cylinders that let you repair the lock mechanism if it’s starting to grind and get old. If this is the case, you can simply push the key out from the back after removing the cylinder from the lock.

6.  Make a Mini Saw Blade

   • Make your own broken key extractor tool by buying a mini jigsaw blade from a nearby hardware store. You’ll want to break off the end of one of these blades so that it will fit into the lock. Make sure to cover up the other end with duct tape or some other adhesive to protect your hand. After the lock is lubricated, insert the saw blade into the cylinder with the teeth facing up. Wiggle it around until you hook one of the grooves on the key. Then twist it just like you would with the extractor tool, and pull the key out. This will take some practice, but be persistent, and your key will rear its pretty head soon enough.

7. Tapping the Lock

   • The key cylinder is just like any other metal object, so you may be able to get the key to fall out of the cylinder by just tapping the lock a few times against the edge of a hard surface. Just make sure to keep the keyhole open so that the key can slide out. Even if it doesn’t come all the way out, you can eventually pull the sucker out with some needle nose pliers as the key is bound to move a bit after a few hits.

Hopefully, you’ve been able to extract your key stuck in door lock by the end of this post. But if you’re still having some trouble, try giving your local locksmith a call. They have the tools and resources needed to get you unstuck fast and save you a ton of time.

Northridge Lock and Safe has a decade of experience extracting locks of all sizes for clients all over the Valley. Therefore, if you are still having problems with your key, don’t hesitate to give us a call right away. We are local and right around the corner from you in most cases. Additionally, we offer affordable prices for the broken key extraction and can meet you at your location in less than 20 minutes. We guarantee you will be 100% satisfied with our work, so call (818) 296-1032 today!

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Locksmith Northridge is the primary emergency, residential, automotive and commercial locksmith company assistance to Northridge and the surrounding areas.  Being fully-insured and bonded qualified specialists, you can rest easy knowing our locksmith experts are regarded as the most honest and dependable.  We supply customers’ quick and professional service no matter of what locksmith services are needed.  When you need us, we are going to be there as fast as achievable no matter the day or time of the week.  We’re accessible 24-hours daily, 7-days a week and 365 days an each year!

Crisis situations take place, and our emergency services you will see are highly regarded!  We industry professionals in all kinds of emergency lock-out services, key cutting, lock repairs, safe combination modifications and replacements, panic hardware and a great deal more services.  So, if you have gotten locked out of your vehicle or house, you don’t need to be concerned, just contact us to assist you.

Locksmith Northridge  Residential Services

Home security and safety is constantly extremely important to us as well as your well being.  Our experienced Northridge residential locksmith technicians can give peace of mind you are deserving of having when it pertains to your home’s security.  Some of the frequent residential locksmith services include; around the clock emergency services, lock changes, take care of lock-outs, car lockout, lock re-keys, fix locks, keys made, access control systems, electronic locks hooked up and maintained, key control systems, high security locks and many other services!  Any single thing pertaining to residential locksmiths, we are available to offer you help!

Locksmith Northridge  Automotive Services

Our locksmith technicians are professionals with all makes and models of vehicles.  So, each of your automotive requirements can be made effortless with our specialized Northridge automotive locksmith services.  It doesn’t matter what locksmith services you want to have with your particular make and model automobile, our professional locksmith technicians will be capable of helping you with anything from emergency lock outs, duplicate keys, computer chip key reprogramming, ignitions fixed or swapped, electronic locks installed or repaired, change locks, locks fixed, switch locks, unlock car doors, key removal, transponder keys made, trunks opened or unlocked and a great deal more services!

Locksmith Northridge  Commercial Services

It doesn’t matter what you want for your business, we will handle services like; commercial emergency services, access control, keyless entry, lock out situations,  high security locks, lock picking, master system re-keying, door locks, digital locks, door problems, file cabinet and safe locks, door lock installations and many other services!  Locksmith Northridge   is known as the industry leader when it will involve all facets of locksmith services.

Our valued customers are aware that they can take it easy at any time they use our locksmith services.  So, whatever locksmith service you want to have no matter whether it’s residential, automotive or commercial, we are readily available daily, 7-days a week and 365-days a year.  When you will need service, you know who to reach out to!

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