Styled keys

Smasher

When I got the key for my apartment last year, I found that somebody had decorated it with a tropical sort of image. It looks pretty cool and makes it stand out on my key ring. First, an image so you can see what I'm talking about:

http://smasher.250free.com/key.jpg

The image seems to be "fused" into the key; it's totally flush with the bits that aren't covered, and it doesn't scratch off easily, if at all (I don't want to try too hard, since as I said I like it). As you can see it also goes into the grooves.

I've thought off and on about doing this with some of my other keys. Unfortunately I don't have any idea how it was done, and I don't know which of the previous residents did it. Does anyone know anything about this sort of thing and how I'd go about doing it?

supabeast

The keys come that way, you can get them at True Value hardware stores and some Home Depot stores.

MengerSponge

I've seen colorful key blanks at places that cut keys, like hardware stores. If you don't mind paying to make copies of all your keys, you could get these made.

I've never seen any sort of process that will turn a regular key into something like this though (though I've never looked.)

Edit: I'm too slow.

Munro

Looks like something that was just bought at a Wal-Mart or pretty much any other locksmithing place. If you go in to get a duplicate key made, they'll have plenty of decorated blanks for you to choose from. Wal-Mart has a pretty poor selection, but I'm sure an actual locksmithing shop would have a couple more. It should cost less than $5 a key to get it done.

Edit: Woah, what a rush. Home Depot or another home improvement place would actually probably be a better bet than a locksmith. I'd try that first.