Our on-call Technical Service Representatives (TSRs) regularly receive 5 AM calls from frantic store openers who just broke their key in the front door lock.
I’d be pretty frantic too – aside from not wanting to sit in the cold waiting for a technician to come to my rescue, no store access equals lost sales and a lot of awkward explanations to those first customers of the day.
Not a good way to start your day.
The good news is there are a few things you and your key holders can do to reduce the likelihood of broken keys.
Broken Keys 101
My Key is a Door Pull Right? WRONG!
Raise your hand if you have ever pulled the door shut with your key (sheepishly raising my hand and subsequently smacking it).
If you can’t tell, this is a big no no.
While it is admittedly convenient, repeatedly pulling the door shut with your key puts undue stress on the key. Over time, it will create a weak spot and will ultimately leave you with a broken key.
If the Key is Hard to Turn – Call a Technician
Over time, cylinders wear down. The springs weaken and cause the pins to sag.
This misalignment of the pins can make it really hard to turn your key in the lock, until one day, either you end up with a broken key, or the lock will explode (this happened to me once – it was like a tiny Fourth of July explosion on my door stoop).
Moral of the story – if your key starts sticking in the lock, it’s time to call a technician to re-pin/replace the lock.
I am the Hulk – This Door WILL Lock!
While we all wish we had superhuman strength, if the door is bound up and the lock is not aligned properly, no amount of brute strength will make the lock engage.
All of the stress you put on the lock transfers directly to your key and if you are persistent enough in trying to lock the door, your key will undoubtedly snap leaving you with a broken key and no way in.
Captain Obvious – You’re Using the Wrong Key
Again – I will raise my hand on this one. I have definitely tried the wrong key a time or two, but upon realizing that the key wasn’t turning I tried another key.
Forcefully using the wrong key can wreak havoc both on your key and on the lock itself.
Remove the Key When it’s Not in Use
This particular rule often pertains to back of house doors. We see a lot of broken keys in pilfer guards (door alarms) because a delivery cart or trash cart hit the key.
If the key isn’t currently in use, it’s wise to remove it from the lock to prevent any accidental bumps and breaks.
If the Key is Bent – Get a New One
If the key is bent, that means it already has a glaring weak spot. For all intents and purposes, a bent key is a broken key.
Any tension you put on the key will further weaken it and cause it to break.
Your Key is Not a. . . (Fill in the Blank)
While it may seem like a handy tool, your key is not a box cutter, pry bar, screw driver, or bottle opener.
If you need a handy tool, I recommend a Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman…those things are amazing.
Using a key for anything other than its intended purpose puts undue stress on the key and can create weak spots that may start an unfortunate chain of events leading to your key’s untimely demise.
Have you ever broken a key in a lock? We’d love to hear your stories!