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GlueGuy 
Senior Member 
Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2705 |
 Topic: Key broken in shower door lockPosted: 31 Jul 2017 at 11:58am |
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We found that somewhere along the line "someone" stuck a key (that did not fit) into the lock on our outdoor shower door. The key was broken off about 1/8" below the surface of the lock.
On the advice of our dealer, I sprayed in some WD40, and tried to pull it out with the most powerful magnet we could find. Did not work. Either the key "remnant" is stuck too much, or it's made from something non-magnetic. The dealer suggested that it might be possible to pry the door open, remove the lock and clear it out on the bench, or replace it. Any one have any other suggestions?
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Location: Mayville, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 12:14pm |
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in the past I used a coping saw blade with the end removed and the back ground down so it will fit into the key groe. Then lifting the teeth into the key metal it was able to get enough bite to pull the broken key out.
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp 
Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 1:02pm |
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It's a plastic door, on a shower enclosure that costs about $15. I would just pry it open and hope for the best, not getting to upset if I had to replace it afterwords..
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codycountry
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2014 Location: Wyo Online Status: Offline Posts: 168 |
Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 2:01pm |
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If you can come up with the correct sized "lock pick", aka dental tool, you might be able to flip or pull it out of there. You can buy them at hobby stores and some gun stores carry them in the cleaning department. Most locksmiths are also equipped to fix that.
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Guests
Guest Group 
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Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 2:20pm |
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You could also try bending a very small hook in a straightened paper clip. Slide on top or along side the key, try to hook the "front" of the key and pull it out. Good news - I have had locksmith training, have a lot of experience and have the tool to remove broken keys. Bad news - you would have to drive to Indiana What you have is commonly referred to as a "cam" lock - common on filing cabinets, desks, etc. They are inexpensive and not hard to find/replace. If enough of the key is still in the lock, you may be able to open it with a small screwdriver - just by turning. If the key is not engaging all of the "wafers", you can probably see this. Gently/slowly push the wafer up or down (depending on how the lock is installed) while, at the same time, gently turning the lock with the small screwdriver. Once the lock/door is open, it is easy to replace the lock. Note: Cam locks have "wafers" instead of "pins" (sometimes called tumblers) as would be on a common house/office lock. The magnet will not work as the vast majority of keys are made of brass. Some have a shiney "chrome-ish" plating but, are still brass. If this doesn't work, try furpod's way. Get the door in the sun so, it is not brittle. Pry the door open, replace the lock. cam lock |
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codycountry
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2014 Location: Wyo Online Status: Offline Posts: 168 |
Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 5:06pm |
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I guess one should always check Amazon. Or David if in proximity to his residence. https://www.amazon.com/Ehdching-Extractor-Broken-Removal-Locksmith/dp/B018DZYKN6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501538619&sr=8-3&keywords=key+removal+tool
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Guests
Guest Group
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Posted: 01 Aug 2017 at 5:21am |
Is there anything that CAN'T be bought on Amazon? 
I'm not optimistic in the situation. If the "correct" key was broken off in the lock, it might be "savable". If an "incorrect" key was forced into the lock and broken while trying to remove, the lock is probably trash. Since it is only a $4 part, personally, I wouldn't invest a lot of time in it. |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2705 |
Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 10:04am |
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Good news. There was NOT a broken key in the lock. There is a little flap of sorts that keeps dust out or something. Pushing the key into the lock is supposed to push the flap out of the way, but it had gotten stuck. So in the process of trying to remove it, I had sprayed in some WD40, and tried the magnet (unsuccessfully). My last try was to use a very thin exacto blade to try to pull it out. As I pried on the side of the flap (that looked like a stuck key fragment), it suddenly flipped out of the way. Whoa! I was then able to insert the key and open the door. The addition of the WD40 probably helped, but the real cure was pushing the flap sideways with the exacto blade.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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Key broken in shower door lock