In message ,
newshound writes
On 16/10/2013 18:09, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 5:55:08 PM UTC+1, newshound wrote:
I have a key broken off in a standard yale cylinder lock. It still works
with the half key. Any bright ideas for removing the other half? I would
quite like to "save" the lock because several family members have keys.

I assume by standard you mean the rim latch type with a single
cylinder that has a rectangular bar attached to the back of the
cylinder to operate the latch. If it is, can you take the cylinder out
of the door and get to the rear of the key slot and push it out? You
might need to remove the bar from the cylinder to do this.
Another possibility - if you have a spare key it should be possible
to get a locksmith to modify a similar cylinder to fit.


Brilliant! I had forgotten that the key slot goes all the way through,
the trickiest bit was prying out the "circlip" to release the bar, I
was surprised to find that this was bendy rather than springy. I tried
at first to push the bit out forwards, but this didn't work. However,
pushing it "through" worked a treat.

I had to "do" the circlip twice because first time I put it back on
without including the bar. However, refitting it is yet another fine
example of the indispensibility of the mole wrench, it must be
challenging the angle grinder for first place.
Remember the immortal words - assembly is the reverse of disassembly
--
bert