Hey, does anyone know about ways to fix shrunken rank slides or how they get that way in the first place?
They have little wrinkles on the edges and cause my epaulettes to not lay flat
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Its probably caused by you ironing them directly. Rather than either not ironing them or if you must, put something between the rank slide and the iron. The only way to fix this is to get a new pair, either from sqn stores or cadet direct or other shop.
It could be caused by the wash, but either way you need a new pair.
thanks, it was probably a previous owner that messed them up then 
Yes, another way to verify if it was due to dodgy ironing, is if the rank slide is shiney then it’s definitely ironing. If they’re not then it might be something else.
Unfortunately, you can’t uniron something.
Why do I have to keep ironing my clothes then? ??
…I think you actually mean ‘You can’t undo ironing damage’ 
That is what I meant, also you shouldn’t really iron your rank slides in the first place. As I haven’t ironed mine in years and they never got creased.
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Firstly @lark welcome to the community!
No you don’t…
There’s literally nothing in Ap1358 about not having wrinkly rank slides… Just that they have to be worn.
Don’t waste your money and don’t stress that’s they’ve wrinkled up a bit. Having them dead straight is a very odd cadetism.
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Okay, but does it really look good and smart to have wrinkly, creased up rank slides? It would sort of ruin the look of your perfectly ironed shirt
Open to interpretation.
Why stress yourself over it whilst wearing 2Cs? I can, maybe if I squint, see the issue when you’re wearing 2As.
No point stressing if you are spending your own money on it. I get my rank slides issued and I wouldn’t trouble a storeman over wrinkled slides. Firstly, it’ll ge a waste of their time and MoD money, secondly it makes me look ally and having been in rank a little longer…
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I would be marching in myself and giving him the trouble, because if I didn’t I would be thinking all day about how not neat by rankslides are and how they could be better
If that was really your worry you should be going to your CO and asking for more work to do! 
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Mean, I don’t want people mistaking my rank
Big talk in a world where you need to pick your battles. Hassle someone for something minor now, they become less inclined to help you later when it might be more important.
We’re also talking about the difference between someone wearing something sufficient to carry out their role in their job, and someone with a fixation on looking pristine. It’s a different world.
@lark, just keep an eye out for some tidier ones becoming available at some point. Your squadron may put in a request for new at some stage, someone might have spare, or someone might take pity on you. For now, don’t fret. If you get new ones at some point, keep them for blues/neat, and use your shoddy ones for the field.
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Do ATC sqns not get sufficient stock of these, then?
When I promote I can always manage to give a cadet one new shiny pair in the packet for their blues, and one second hand pair maybe a bit faded for wear with MTP. When I need more I just demand them, and eventually they just turn up.
Do you really not get enough to supply your promotions? Surely you only need a handful per year.
I think it does vary.
When I was promoted to cadet sergeant, I only received one. As in, one solitary rank tab. My OC had to visit another squadron to get some.
Whereas my now wife got several pairs when she got to cadet sergeant and then cadet flight sergeant.
My current place has recently promoted a couple. They weren’t brand new slides, but we had enough for two pairs each for two corporals and a sergeant.
Perhaps it’s just luck of the draw? I would say getting enough trousers and shirts outstrips getting some shiny slides.
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It just depends on how the OC or adj manages the stock I guess. We request then from wing, rather than stores, so you don’t normally need to give names etc. Previously I’ve always made a stock request ready for promotions, and WHQ are normally pretty quick to send them out!
There would be nothing stopping me requesting more than I need and having a stockpile at the squadron, as I know some staff do.
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My TEST sergeant keeps a massive stash of rank slides and badges in his car so usually easy to grab them when he visits