I'm talking about the fancy lettering and gold-coloring on the side of a blade -- Wacker blades come to mind: http://www.wacker-rasiermesser.de/images/1031.jpg .

1) Exactly how is this done? (I suppose you're going to tell me it's all done with a computer program and a laser nowadays... Hey, stab me for daring to dream.)

2) Is this something that can be customized? (I suppose anything can be customized but I guess I meant is this something that is done easily or frequently...)

3) What is the gold stuff, is it just gold-colored metal pressed into the blade? (Is it gold?) If I sound ignorant, it's because I am.

4) Does the blade need to be of a certain thickness or can this be done to a hollow grind?

5) Are there any other limitations to consider or is the sky and your imagination the limit?

6) Is there a particular artist who does this particularly well?

Any other thoughts regarding etched blades?