How to remove a key...?

Type_R

Type_R

Type_R

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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So the story goes like this. My friend has a MX5 MK1. I get out of the car, he hands me the keys to remove my shopping from the boot. I put the key in the boot lock, turn it, boot opens, I remove my shopping. Then he yells, go easy on the lock, the key is quite soft. I look down and the distal part of the key is missing, and sure enough its stuck in the lock.

Just to make it even funnier, I have slammed the boot lid shut. Anyone got any ideas on how to remove the half piece of key from within the lock, as he has spare keys. At the moment he has no access to his boot ;)
 
Type_R said:
Anyone got any ideas on how to remove the half piece of key from within the lock,
Click to expand...

Jeweller's drill into the key remnant then tap it and finally screw an eyelet into the tapped hole.

Voila! :)

*n
 
Drill straight into the key remnant using a jewelers' drill (veeery small) then use a jeweler's tap and die set (also veeery small) to tap a thread in the hole you've just created.

Then you can screw an eyelet or similar into the threaded hole you have made and use the eyelet to pull the key remnant out.

*n
 
penski said:
Drill straight into the key remnant using a jewelers' drill (veeery small) then use a jeweler's tap and die set (also veeery small) to tap a thread in the hole you've just created.

Then you can screw an eyelet or similar into the threaded hole you have made and use the eyelet to pull the key remnant out.

*n
Click to expand...

Thanks much appreciated :)
 
The easiest way is just dismantle the lock, if you think you can get it all back together. You can then push the key back out of the barrel using a screwdriver.
 
There's a material similar to bluetak or superglue that you can just touch the end bit of the key that's sticking out - it's worked for me in the past. I presume you can't get pliers to it?

The mk2 has a boot release hatch so it's not the end of the world... I'd be careful not to mangle the lock.
 
Freefaller said:
There's a material similar to bluetak or superglue that you can just touch the end bit of the key that's sticking out - it's worked for me in the past. I presume you can't get pliers to it?

The mk2 has a boot release hatch so it's not the end of the world... I'd be careful not to mangle the lock.
Click to expand...

epoxy resin ?

dries stupidly quick and sticks allmost anything. Id dab a bit of that on a cotton bud and see if you can pull it out that way. All else failing, get a lock smith in :)
 
my key snapt off in my ignition barrel

took a locksmith £5 and about 15s to get it out

none of the key was sticking out either, it was about 5mm inside the barrel
 
MNuTz said:
would a very strong magnet not work?
Click to expand...

Keys are made of brass usualy.

Very carefull application of superglue might work, but you risk gluing the tumblers if the glue runs at all. Taking the barrel out of the lock would probably be the safest solution.
 
MrLOL said:
epoxy resin ?

dries stupidly quick and sticks allmost anything. Id dab a bit of that on a cotton bud and see if you can pull it out that way. All else failing, get a lock smith in :)
Click to expand...
Yep, Araldite for the win.
 
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