Broken key in curio cabinet lock.

Here is a problem I hear frequently. I have an antique curio cabinet and I broke the key off in the lock. Is there any way to remove the broken key portion from the lock and is there any way I can get into my curio cabinet with the door locked?

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Broken Key

A broken key in a curio cabinet lock isn't too unusual. Anitque cabinet keys are generally round and hollow so they'll fit over a little pin sticking out of the inside of the lock to keep the key stable while turning to unlock the tumblers.

Many, many years of sliding over the little pin and sliding against the sides of the lock can wear the side walls of the key pretty thin and the key can snap if the tumblers get dirty and tend to stick a little.

Try to straighten the key with lubricant

Squirt a little lubricant into the lock. Squirt very carefully and only if the lubricant can has a little flexible plastic tube that will fit into the keyhole. Squirt toward the sides inside the lock.

The reason for so much care is that most older locks have holes that will let lubricant spray into the insides of the cabinet and could allow lubricant to get onto whatever you have stored in the cabinet and could get on the finish of the shelves inside the cabinet.

Tap on the lock and hope that the key will jiggle into position so it can be pulled straight out.

Try a magnet on the broken key

See if the part of the key you have in your hand is attracted to a magnet, if it is then find the strongest magnet you can to work with.

Straighten a paper clip and holding a strong magnet against the paper clip insert the paper clip into the lock and see if there's enough area on the paper clip to contact the broken key and pull it out.

If there isn't enough magnet power with a paper clip leave the handle and stem of the key, which you have out, on the magnet over night and let it become magnetized, then holding the magnet against the key part for extra magnetization insert the stem and see if it will pull the rest of the key out.

Try gluing something besides your fingers with super glue

If the key isn't attracted to a magnet, take a flashlight and locate the part inside the lock, then put a very small dot of super glue on the stem that you have in your hand and insert it very carefully until it touches the part in the lock and hold it for the recommended time, then try pulling the key out. Be very careful not to touch the super glue to any part of the inside of the lock or you'll super glue the mechanism.

If you should happen to super glue the lock mechanism work some fingernail polish remover into the lock and it'll dissolve the super glue. The polish remover will remove wood finish too, so be very careful.

Ladies can work wonders with bobby pins on locks and broken keys

If you can see the part well, try slipping a bobby pin over it and see if you can pull it out. Roughen the soft tips of the bobby pin with sandpaper.

Try removing the broken key with tweezers

If they'll fit, try tweezers. If the tweezers are too slippery glue some little bits of sandpaper to the insides of the tip.

Remove the cabinet back to remove the lock and key

Most curio cabinets have backs fastened on with little screws or little brads, which are easily removed. Great care needs to be taken while removing a back, because shelves are sometimes partially supported by the back.

Check through the glass on front to be sure how the shelves are supported before removing the back. Generally locks are installed with screws from the inside of the cabinet.

The sticking key problem could be from wear and damage to the inside of the lock so it may be necessary to replace the cabinet lock and key rather than removing the key once you get the lock out of the cabinet.