I need inventive ways of...

[boomboompow]

...getting a broken key out of a yale lock; one of these jobbies:



From what I can tell (it was my downstairs neighbour who broke his key in one of the front door locks, but he can't be bothered to fix it ) the top half of the key has snapped off and is stuck in the lock. I have dismantled the lock as much as possible so now I have the main barrel of the lock on its own, but I still can't coax the key out. I have (unfruitfully) tried the following:

1) Poking a thin wire through the back of the barrel to puch the key out - small gaps at back of barrell do not go straight through to the key chamber

2) Poking a thin wire (hooked at one end) into the front of the lock in a bid to drag the key out

3) Poking a thicker wire as per above

4) Spraying a gallon of WD40 into the lock then hitting the back of the barrel with a hammer and shaking it furiously in the futile hope the bloody thing would pop out - this fruitless, failed attempt end up with me throwing the bloody thing across the lounge whilst I weeped in the corner, shouting "why?!?" at god.

So... any ideas? A magnet of sorts would be my next idea, but I can't find any thin enough to get into the lock

[V8mate]

Buy a new barrel?

[Xenocide]

Get him to buy a new lock as you've got it out.

[lawrence567]

Your obviously not using a big enough hammer + not hitting it hard enough.

[louiebaby]

Tweezers with superglue on them to grip the key fragment?

Call a locksmith and see how they do it?

[Gargamel]

Get a candle, drip molten wax into the barrel (leave your thin/hooked wire in the barrel
wait for it to set.

Pull the wire - wax will come out with the key encased in it (possibly)

Hold the barrel over the gas cooker to melt any remaining wax left inside.

[soad]

Just buy a new lock/barrel, no need to waste time pissing about. I'd probably get mad/frustrated enough to smash it to bits otherwise.

[Stablelad]

Xenocide said:

Get him to buy a new lock as you've got it out.

Buy a new lock, fit it, than charge the twunt that broke the original £50 for a key to it.

[fadeaway]

Get the broken "head" of the key from your neighbour. Carefully superglue this to the bit of the key in the lock. Wait for glue to set, then gently pull out.

Don't blame me if you end up gluing the broken bit of the key firmly into the lock!

[V8mate]

fadeaway said:

Get the broken "head" of the key from your neighbour. Carefully superglue this to his finger.

Buy new lock!

EFA

[boomboompow]

I came to the "new lock" conclusion late last night whilst nursing a bruised thumb. I've tried speaking to our (student) neighbours a few times but they don't really seem to care; it's a rented flat for them (although I own my flat and it's a communal door).

Anyways it isn't them I'm fustrated at (although if they were so fking useless maybe it would help a little); its the fact that this half key is taunting me from within the barrel! Shirley there must be away of getting the little bugger out of there.

NB yes I am aware it is an inanimate object

[Rags]

Do you have the contact details for their landlord?

Despite it being 'their' issue and something that they should be obliged to replace, I am sure the landlord will be expecting a full set of keys from his tenant.

I guess you are more bothered as the communal access isnt secure, but to them it may not be as much of an issue.

As much as I would avoid fixing it and then presenting them with the bill, if security is an issue then it might be the best opton?

[Astacus]

1. Get a very fine drill, drill into the stub of the key. Insert wire into hole with glue. Wait for it to dry. Gently pull wire to remove stub.

2. Find a drill of similar diameter as the width of the stub. Drill two holes in the stub one above the other. grasp the plug between the two holes with fine forceps and pull

[David A]

Hoover/suck it out (ooo er) need to seal other end and side.

Hit harder.

Big magnet (depends what the key is made of)

In all cases you may need to wiggle it straight so it lines up.