If you have experienced the frustration of a Yale lock key stuck in the lock before, this post is for you. Find out exactly what it is that bites your key in the keyhole and just won’t let go.
I work for a rental property management company. For a long time we thought tenants had changed their locks when our master keys got stuck in the locks. Now I know keys can get stuck even when the lock has not been changed.
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How Keyed Locks Work
There are many types of keyed locks. The most common one is thepin tumbler lock.
The inner part of the lock has several vertical shafts which run through the case and the plug. Each shaft has a spring, a driver pin and a key pin. The springs press all the pins down so they rest on a ledge. The pins on each shaft drop at a different level. All the pins must line up along a shear line in order for the plug to turn and unlock the door. When the correct key is inserted into the keyway, perfectly matching teeth and ridges on the key cause the springs to align perfectly along the shear line and the plug turns smoothly. When a wrong key is inserted, its teeth and ridges are not an exact match to the springs so they cannot align along the shear line.
Why Keys Get Stuck
Your key could over time develop burrs which get caught in the pins. When this happens the key cannot come out of the keyway. In other instances, one of the lock pins is out of alignment so even a correct key cannot lift the misaligned pin as it is pulled out of the lock. New key copies are notorious for sticking in a lock because there may be unwanted burrs which get caught in the pins.
How to Remove a Stuck Key
A clear understanding of why keys get stuck in locks, makes it easier to understand how the solutions work to eventually get the keys out.
Gentle Jiggle
This does sound like an obvious thing to do when your Yale lock key is stuck. What is not so obvious is that it is imperative that you giggle the key gently while pulling outwards. The up and down motion may free the teeth stuck in the pins enabling you to pull out the key. Pulling too hard makes the problem worse because it binds the key against the pins even further. Worse still, pulling too hard could make the key break, leaving part of it in the lock and the other half in your hand.
Holdthe Plug Back
If the plug (circular metallic part surrounding the keyhole) is loose, it may have moved within the cylinder. This movement prevents the pins from aligning along the shear line even when the correct key is inserted. Here is how to get it back into place.
- Slide the key as far into the keyway as it can go
- Turn the key to get it into a 12. O clock position. This is the exact position it was in when you first inserted the key. A 12. 0 clock position is required for the pins to align.
- Use your free hand to push firmly on the plug surrounding the keyway and pull out the key.
Lubricate the Lock
If the source of the problem is too much friction between the key and pins, a lubricant will be useful.
Spray lubricants like WD-40 come with a straw nozzle which allows you to spray into tiny spaces.
- Position the straw above the key and aim as far into the hole as you can.
- Jiggle the key about with up and down motions and not side to side.
- Try to pull out the key.
Cool the Key
This method works best in the warm weather. Using the basic science of expansion and contraction, cool the key to make it contract. Place one or two ice cubes in a plastic bag and hold it against the stuck key for a few minutes. This should cause the key to contract allowing its teeth to clear from the lock pins. Jiggle the key up and down again then try to pull it out.
Final Words
A Yale lock key stuck in a lock can be an aggravating problem to say the least. Time wasted notwithstanding, it is usually a fairly easy problem to fix. When you find yourself in this situation, the most important thing is to stay calm. Take a deep breath and proceed to resolve the problem. Attempting to deal with it in anger will probably make you jiggle the key too hard which only makes it worse. Trying to pull out the key with too much force could make the key break in the keyway, which introduces an even bigger problem.
FAQ
I don’t have access to WD-40 lubricating spray. What is a good alternative?
Make a homemade alternative by mixing one part water and three parts sunflower oil or olive oil in a spray bottle.
Howcan I remove a rusted key stuck in a lock?
Spray some lubricant into the key hole then wiggle the key about to spread the lubricant. Spray in a little more lubricant then wait 10 minutes before trying to pull out the key gently.
I turned a stuck key a bit too hard. Now it’s broken. Part of the key is stuck the yale lock. How do I remove it?
Spray one or two squirts of graphite or lubricant into the lock. If the piece of key left in the lock is large enough, use a pair of needle-nose pliers to grip it and pull it out.
My duplicate key keeps getting stuck but I always manage to pull it out after some jiggling. Will it stop after more consistent use?
Take the key back to the key cutter. The sticking is probably caused by unwanted burrs which should be filed off.
