Devices, kits, and methods for making a carved crayon are provided. In one aspect, a crayon carving device includes a base, a pantograph armature coupled to the base, a crayon positioner, and at least one guide template parallel to the crayon positioner. The pantograph armature includes a motorized drive shaft with a drill tip for carving an outside surface of a crayon body, as well as a guide tip for tracing along a guide template that directs where the drill tip carves. In some embodiments, the guide template includes a stationary bridge support and a plurality of removable carving bucks that insert into one of multiple openings on the bridge support. The surface features of each of the carving bucks may be traced by the guide tip to generate a corresponding carving on the surface of a crayon body.

A key model identification and feedback system includes a key identification housing, a master key receiving aperture, a master key identifier, a processor in communication with the master key identifier, and a feedback module. The processor is configured to access a database defining a plurality of known key models, compare the physical characteristics of the master key with physical characteristics of the known key models in the database to identify a model of the master key, and communicate the model of the master key to the feedback module coupled to the key identification housing. The feedback module, responsive to the communication from the processor, outputs an indication of the model of the master key and directions to a location remote from the key identification housing where a key blank having the same model of the master key is available for duplicating the master key.

A key-duplicating system comprises a network that includes a multiplicity of kiosks at a multiplicity of different locations, each of the kiosks having a customer interface and a processor coupled to the customer interface. A remote central server coupled to the kiosks is adapted to receive, from the kiosks, information identifying master keys to be duplicated. A key analysis module uses the information identifying master keys to be duplicated to derive information required to produce duplicates of the identified master keys, and a key duplicating module uses that information to produce duplicates of said identified master keys

Devices, kits, and methods for making a carved crayon are provided. In one aspect, a crayon carving device includes a base, a pantograph armature coupled to the base, a crayon positioner, and at least one guide template parallel to the crayon positioner. The pantograph armature includes a motorized drive shaft with a drill tip for carving an outside surface of a crayon body, as well as a guide tip for tracing along a guide template that directs where the drill tip carves. In some embodiments, the guide template includes a stationary bridge support and a plurality of removable carving bucks that insert into one of multiple openings on the bridge support. The surface features of each of the carving bucks may be traced by the guide tip to generate a corresponding carving on the surface of a crayon body.

A key model identification and feedback system includes a key identification housing, a master key receiving aperture, a master key identifier, a processor in communication with the master key identifier, and a feedback module. The processor is configured to access a database defining a plurality of known key models, compare the physical characteristics of the master key with physical characteristics of the known key models in the database to identify a model of the master key, and communicate the model of the master key to the feedback module coupled to the key identification housing. The feedback module, responsive to the communication from the processor, outputs an indication of the model of the master key and directions to a location remote from the key identification housing where a key blank having the same model of the master key is available for duplicating the master key.

A key model identification and feedback system includes a key identification housing, a master key receiving aperture, a master key identifier, a processor in communication with the master key identifier, and a feedback module. The processor is configured to access a database defining a plurality of known key models, compare the physical characteristics of the master key with physical characteristics of the known key models in the database to identify a model of the master key, and communicate the model of the master key to the feedback module coupled to the key identification housing. The feedback module, responsive to the communication from the processor, outputs an indication of the model of the master key and directions to a location remote from the key identification housing where a key blank having the same model of the master key is available for duplicating the master key.