OK, so this is something I wanted to post for a LONG while now.

See, I keep a look out on sites like Etsy and eBay and places like that to add to my Tardis Key collection and something I've noticed is people selling replicas of the key Rose uses. That's all well and good but one thing that bugs the CRAP out of me about it is the prices. Anything from $15 USD PLUS shipping to $50 USD PLUS SHIPPING...for a key on a chain that is typically inaccurate. That...that is outrageous. I want to set the Dr Who cos-play fans and replica prop fans and Rose Tyler fans out there straight a bit.


In the picture you can see a screen capture of Rose's key in her hand taken from the Series 1 episode "Aliens of London". Next to it is my replica. Note the D shaped piece sitting under the key. Note the chain and the spiral ring it's on and the size of everything. Note that my replica matches almost dead on.

Now, please look at the picture below of what all of this looks like laid out in plain view. You'll notice the chromed key and the chain and a better look at the D shaped piece on the other end. This is all the key chain is. Now, to get this result you need:

1: A 5/32 inch stainless steel D-Shackle. This cost $4.00 USD or less. I got mine from a seller in Florida but these can be found being sold in Europe and out of Asia. They are typically stainless steel and sell for as low as a couple dollars and ship for a couple dollars. Literally this cost me less than four dollars. If you live near a marine and boat supply then it's cheaper as you can just walk in and buy it, no shipping. Typically these are used to attach lines and rope and pulleys for sail boats to other things on sailboats. The way it works is the rod that goes through the shackle is threaded on the end and you put it through the shackle and thread it into the hole in the other end. Why did they use something meant for a boat? You have to remember they were kinda going for a nautical theme with the 9th Doctor which is why he is wearing a U-boat captains jacket from the 1940's. Originally the 9th Doctor was also going to be wearing a sailors turtleneck sweater but it just looked odd so they dropped it for the V-neck. All of this is the reason why the Tardis is more submarine like inside and why there's coral as a part of the structure and the reason why Rose's key has a D-shackle from a boat on it.


2: A foot of thin steel curb chain. About...a quarter of an inch diameter or a little less. I got this one complete with the spiral split ring the key is on at Lowe's for literally $1.50 USD. It's just a chain with a ring and usually a spring "lobster claw" catch to attach the chain to your belt loop, just break the "lobster claw" off the end, it's easy. You can find them typically where they cut keys. You can buy curb chain by the foot but I bought the pre-made key chain because the ends of the chain each have one enlarged link to put rings through. This is handy because the D-shackle listed above has a rod thickness greater than the links in the chain and you'll need one larger to put the chain on it.

3: A 1 inch steel split ring. It's that spiral ring the key is attached to. It's diameter is almost the same size as the round part of the key's head, just a little bigger. So find one to match. Also try to find one that's easy to pull open with your fingers so when you put your chromed key in place you don't scratch the chrome. These sell for SO cheap they usually sell a pack of five for fifty cents or ten cents a piece. Guess where you can find them...Lowe's next to where you'd buy the chain above.

4: the Key. Arguably the harder to find part of this, I got mine and my blanks from a supplier on eBay BUT if you say, want three already cut keys that fit into a lock like the one used on the Tardis prop from the show, you want an ERA lock like this: [link] We already know you want an ERA brand because even though Yale makes both the key and the lock similar to this, they don't chrome their keys and thanks to an older BBC article a few years back we can see ERA stamped keys hidden in the prop Tardis from the 10th Doctor era here: [link] So, if you want to get the right key and maybe even a lock you can get those for about $20 USD or less and like I said, you get three precut keys that way. Blanks will cost you even less than that IF you can find a UK lock and key dealer that has 5 pin ERA keys for sale. If you do they usually run about $2.00 USD which is pretty darn cheap. I bought 6 blanks like that. Getting them cut is easy as any hardware store will cut them for free if you supply the blanks, HOWEVER, remember that they need a key of a similar type to get a tooth pattern from. Any 5 pin Yale Y-1 key will work for that so if you have an old key like that you can copy, you are all set. You HAVE to make sure though it's the same. Yale Y-1 and the 5 pin ERA keys both have special channels cut in them. If you use the wrong key it will not cut right and you risk ruining your key.

So for those following along so far, you have a replica key and chain that cost ME approximately $7.60 USD to make. By contrast the key that sells for $15 is an uncut generic chrome key that costs a dollar and it's on a chain without the D-shackle that costs $1.50 meaning you're paying $15 for a $2.50 inaccurate replica that isn't even a cut key. The $50 one is a bit better in that they actually modified it buuuut it's not chromed, it's sanded and blanked and probably would make a better 11th Doctor key but it's literally a cheap key that's been sanded and polished on a silver chain that is wrong. Even if you count that it's had some work done to it IE it's a cut key and it's been sanded and polished it's still not worth the price. It's literally ten minutes of time to file and polish a key out by hand with no power tools, I know, I did it to my Pertwee keys. Even the silver chain can be bought for a dollar a foot in sterling silver so that's three dollars of material and MAYBE if you stretched it five to ten bucks worth of time and effort, less if you used a Dremel tool to polish it. Please keep that in mind when you are looking at key replicas online and see a Rose Tyler or even just a modern series key replica. Look at the details and look at the price and hopefully realize when you are getting screwed on a price. Obviously if you feel like it's a good deal and you are happy with your purchase it's no problem but if your purse is feeling a bit light don't spend the extra. For that $50 USD you could make 6 of my screen accurate/prop accurate key.