Usually, yes, if you have both pieces and the break is clean, because the halves can be fitted together and copied. If a piece is missing or bent, a locksmith can often cut a key from the lock itself instead. If the tip is still in the lock, it needs to come out first.
A key cutting machine copies the key it is given as closely as it can. The Master Locksmiths Association says a new key can generally be made from a broken one, but that it depends on how clean the break is, and that both parts are needed. If the two halves do not sit together neatly, the copy will not be cut correctly.
So keep every piece, including the tip once it is out of the lock, and keep them together in an envelope or a bag so the small part does not go missing. Do not file, bend or straighten either half. Take both pieces to a key cutter, or hand them to the locksmith who removes the tip.
If a piece is lost, bent or badly worn, copying it will not give you a good key. A locksmith can usually make one from the lock itself, because the lock is what the key has to fit. The same MLA guide notes that this takes time, and that it can sometimes work out cheaper to replace the lock.
We remove the tip for £85 by day, £120 in the evening and at weekends and £150 at night. If a new cylinder makes more sense, a lock change is £85 by day plus the cylinder, and a standard euro cylinder is £25. Parts are named and priced before we set off, so you can decide before anyone travels.
Useful next steps
Related questions
- How to take a broken key out of a lock?
- Why do keys break in locks?
- Is it cheaper to rekey a lock or replace it?
