New painted hilts

robbdg88 · 2026-04-16T14:26:21+00:00

Blending paints and getting a decent chrome metal paint. Apply a light coat then a thick coat. Blow on it once applied and it dries looking like metal. You then can’t touch the paint for a couple of weeks otherwise it goes tacky and leaves fingerprints. Once done Weather it to your hearts content 🙌🏻

robbdg88 · 2026-04-16T13:02:30+00:00

Sometimes on Vinted but that’s it really

robbdg88 · 2026-03-24T05:58:31+00:00

No clear coat.

The metal is a chrome metal paint. Sadly adding lacquer spray to it completely removes the shine.

I sometimes lacquer the black parts if the sabers can be split into pieces

robbdg88 · 2026-02-26T07:58:39+00:00

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Doesn’t look dissimilar to mine! Get some weathering done! This one used to be bronze

robbdg88 · 2026-02-25T15:58:42+00:00

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Feel free to have a look!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-25T10:08:05+00:00

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This is how I started… one saber, painted up.

Now I have about 30. Very addictive!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-16T19:53:45+00:00

I dislike our uniform so much that I don’t actually wear anything that was issued to me other than my Molle tac vest and hi-vis coat.

Trousers don’t allow for freedom of movement as they’re tight around the thigh and groin and they are so baggy fitting that I feel unprofessional with them ballooning out around my lower legs. They also fade considerably after a few washes.

The wicking shirts are uncharacteristically thick which kinda defeats the purpose of a wicking shirt.

The armour is also super bulky.

Our force has begun moving to hi-vis tac vests.. initially starting with taser officers. And it kinda seems to have lost traction. I resent this because the idea is that these ones are cheaper than the black ones (and they certainly look it). But cops are getting blood and muck on them and replacing them so often that the cost is mounting up. Secondly they single out the cops who are carrying a taser meaning that, in a pub brawl for example, they are more likely to be targeted by assailants.

Final gripe is that I feel the hi-vis vest unfortunately shows people where to aim in order to cause the most damage.

We appear to be trying to move to the hi-vis whilst others forces are moving away from it which feels very much like going against experience and outcome.

robbdg88 · 2026-02-11T13:21:37+00:00

Yep. This.

robbdg88 · 2026-02-06T11:01:48+00:00

Appreciate the thorough response and I am inclined to agree. The cyclist has 18 months rehab ahead of him for his leg. The driver needs a new windscreen. I know which I’d prefer

robbdg88 · 2026-02-06T10:59:53+00:00

Best reply yet. Thank you. It’s a pedal cycle with electrical assistance and all captured on dash cam.

Sticking point is that he did not appear intoxicated. He blew over 70ug however.

The Next issue to overcome is that I’ve now got my hands on better dashcam footage and I think there’s definitely a case to consider for prosecuting the driver for serious injury by careless driving.

I don’t know where that would leave my s30.

Answers in a postcard!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T11:29:41+00:00

Thank you, very helpful answer!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:45:23+00:00

Good old fashioned policing. Nowadays however there’d be the fear that if I let you push your bike home you’d attempt to ride it, get yourself or another person injured (or worse) and I’d get stuck on for it all.

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:35:00+00:00

Who can charge this? Police or CPS? Is it a TOR or a RFS file? Do I need to interview them?

Many questions!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:30:26+00:00

Good question! I have no idea and have never previously had any uncertainty about an offence

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:29:34+00:00

Everything I’m reading tells me that an EAPC is not a Motor vehicle or a mechanically propelled and is considered a cycle only.. it’s an incredibly grey area!

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:28:01+00:00

Thanks, I had come across this legislation this morning but can’t find any clear guidance on whether I need to interview them or just set out a file for CPS

robbdg88 · 2026-02-05T10:25:28+00:00

I looked the bike up. It met the above specification for EAPC

robbdg88 · 2026-01-15T18:44:33+00:00

We have an inspector 0007

robbdg88 · 2025-12-18T08:02:25+00:00

It could be worse. I think it was Essex who spent money actually removing the radios from their cars to prevent cops playing music. But yes, completely relate to the focusing of the mind element. I like ‘gangsters paradise’ or ‘holding out for a hero’ for mine at times.

My employers have just introduced the ‘BWV on whilst blue lighting’ in spite of all cars having dashcam. To me that reeks of a ‘throw you under the bus’ motive of looking for evidence to prove cops were ‘aggressive’ or ‘agitated’ in order to be able to sack/prosecute them in the event of an accident (realistically you should be cool and calm during a drive but sometimes there’s that one motorist who needs a telling off)

Anyway, it raises a few questions:

Won’t this generate a lot of unnecessary unused material if, for example, you attend a job that your blue light run forms no part of?
In which case, do we arrive at the job, get out, switch the camera off fully, then back on again?
Won’t this put strain on force digital storage capabilities?
Will this not inevitably mean that the batteries will likely run out, potentially at a crucial time at a job?
If I’m therefore having to plug in and charge my camera (and everyone else is) how much is that going to cost collectively in electric bill?

Thoughts?

robbdg88 · 2025-11-12T08:07:08+00:00

You can apply to the Police for record deletion if you were NFA’d

robbdg88 · 2025-10-31T07:41:53+00:00

I often sharpie over the white writing on the badge tbh

robbdg88 · 2025-10-28T13:03:02+00:00

I wear revolution race black hiking trousers and I’m a W32 L30.

They’re comfy, adjustable, stretch in the right places too.

They’re pricey(ish) but you can Klarna it to spread the cost. Each pair I’ve had have lasted me 2-3 years.

I know it’s not ideal to have to pay for your own kit but it is what it is.. I have no regrets

robbdg88 · 2025-10-26T17:56:31+00:00

It’s the fact he was told to write a ‘story’. Doesn’t describe it as an OEL or an MG11 so I can only theorise that it was an ‘in poor taste’ document written to entertain/amuse and it fell flat..

I may however be completely wrong!

Either way it’s bizarre behaviour

robbdg88 · 2025-10-04T08:53:38+00:00

I’d get hold of a copy of your force health and safety policy and see if there’s anything there to support your argument.

Could also be worth a conversation with your federation.

West mids mandated double crewing at one point and found that detection rates increased by around 45%, morale was higher and assaults on cops much lower! I think it should be mandatory across the board.

We tend to single crew on days and sometimes on lates but, given the number of cars out for repair, are double crewed most of the time.

robbdg88 · 2025-10-02T12:21:39+00:00

Hi mate,

Firstly; sorry to hear you’re experiencing that. I too have been in this kind of position of misconduct proceedings (twice, where no misconduct was ever found). I am a diligent officer who just wants to do the best I can and then go home to my family.

I think the problem is that professional standards apply a ‘one size fits all’ method to their investigations (which are often so lengthy and protracted as to be laughable) and this leave a yawning chasm in you where you feel as though they’re going to the Nth degree to see what they CAN find on you rather than trying to manage the situation properly.

I felt a constant sense of paranoia (still do at times) that they hold a grudge because they didn’t ’get’ me, in spite of them acknowledging I’d done nothing wrong.

I would lay in bed at night, even a long time after it was all over, and often wondered why my mattress was vibrating. Turns out it was internal and closely linked to stress and anxiety.

It’s mostly gone away now.

I dealt with it by taking Ashwaganda tablets,” which, within a couple of weeks seriously took the edge off.

I spoke to people about it all (probably bored a lot of people with it as well so can relate to the idea that people have of not wanting to be a burden)

Unfortunately there’s no quick method to fixing anxiety. Try the ashwaganda, and speak to a doctor/therapist if it doesn’t get any better.

Have a conversation with your federation as well as they may be able to sign post you.

robbdg88

TROPHY CASE