Will Body Armor Stop a Knife? Stab vs Bullet Proof

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Will a bulletproof vest stop a knife? 

While bulletproof vests are designed to protect against bullets, many wonder, can a knife go through a bulletproof vest? The short answer is, yes, but the long answer requires an awareness of a few important factors.

It is important to understand that the requirements for knife and ballistic protection vary. A high rating in one field does not ensure a corresponding high rating in the other. While all of Premier Body Armor&#;s products have a natural knife resistance, they are not specifically designed for protection against stab or slash attacks. 

You can learn more about body armor ratings for ballistic threats in our article, and learn more about stab rating NIJ standards.

What is a spike rating?

Spike rating is a metric developed by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) that measures the stab resistance of armor. A level 1 spike rating indicates that the armor will protect against attacks with a force of 17.7 foot-pounds or less. Level 2 protects against attacks of 24.3 foot-pounds or less, and level 3 protects against attacks up to 31.7 foot-pounds in strength. A foot-pound is the amount of energy required to move 1 pound a distance of 1 foot.

The NIJ also provides an &#;edged blade&#; resistance chart, that indicates body armor with a level 1 spike rating also protects against slash threats of the same intensity. 

What to consider for body armor knife protection: 

When looking for the right body armor for knife protection, you should look for armor that offers slash protection as well as stab resistance. This will provide protection against both types of attacks.

Furthermore, consider the material that the ballistic armor is made from. Kevlar and polyethylene are the two most common materials used to make armor to protect against knife attacks. Ceramic and steel can also provide some level of protection. These products will often carry a &#;stab resistant&#; or &#;slash proof&#; designation. 

However, it's important to note that no body armor is completely stab proof. Even the most effective armor can be penetrated by a determined attacker. That being said, body armor can still provide a significant level of protection and can reduce the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a knife attack.

What types of body armor will also stop a knife?

Nowadays, most ballistic armor will provide some level of resistance against stab and slash risks, as modern manufacturing techniques and materials such as kevlar, polyethylene, ceramic and steel ensure armor that is durable enough to defend against both ballistic and knife threats.

Will a plate carrier stop a knife? Yes, a fully loaded plate carrier will provide some protection against a knife threat, as long as the strike lands on either a front or rear plate. 

Kevlar body armor and edged weapon protection:

Kevlar is a synthetic fiber commonly used in body armor manufacturing due to its strength and durability. It can provide great protection against knife threats as the tightly woven fibers are difficult to puncture and can deflect slashing attacks as well. Many soft ballistic protection vests are made of kevlar due to all around utility and the lightweight construction.

Polyethylene body armor and knife stabbing protection: 

Polyethylene body armor is another popular choice for both ballistic and knife protection. Due to the high molecular density, polyethylene provides excellent protection against stab attacks while maintaining strength and durability. Polyethylene is preferred by many because it is lightweight compared to its other rigid material counterparts. 

Ceramic body armor and knife stabbing protection: 

Ceramic body armor is another choice that will provide protection against knife threats. This is in part due to the rigidness of the material. Ceramic armor plates are often combined with another form of armor, typically kevlar, to provide more protection while still keeping weight down. 

Steel body armor and knife stabbing protection:

Steel armor plates are capable of providing protection against knife threats, but are typically reserved for cases where ballistic threats are the most prevalent, as steel armor can be heavier than its alternatives. Steel armor might be preferred in stationary situations where mobility is not as important to the user. 

How effective is a stab proof vest?

Stab proof vests are highly effective at stopping knife threats, as they have been specially designed to do so, whether through choice of materials or a tightly woven construction method.   

How many stabs can a bulletproof vest take?

When it comes to effectiveness, the number of stabs a bulletproof vest can take depends on the material and design of the vest. While some vests may be able to withstand multiple stabs, others may only be effective against one or two attacks. 

It's also worth noting that repeated stabbings in the same area can weaken the protection provided by the ballistic armor, so it's important to replace the vest after any such attack.

Do different body armor ratings have better stab resistance?

Finally, it's worth considering whether different ballistic armor ratings offer better stab resistance. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, higher-rated ballistic armor is generally more effective at stopping knife attacks than lower-rated armor. The NIJ provides a range of ratings for body armor, and it's worth considering these when choosing armor for knife protection.

In conclusion, while bulletproof vests are not specifically designed to protect against knife attacks, they can still offer some level of protection. Stab resistant ballistic armor is specifically designed to provide protection against knives, and there are a range of materials and ratings to choose from. 

When choosing body armor for knife protection, it's important to consider the level of protection provided, the material used, and the body armor rating. Ultimately, while no body armor is completely stab proof, wearing any armor significantly reduces the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a knife attack.

Author: Aidan Shelton

Piece of body armor which resists knife attacks

For the type of buoyancy compensator used in scuba diving, see stab jacket

A stab vest or stab proof vest is a reinforced piece of body armor, worn under or over other items of clothing, which is designed to resist knife attacks to the chest, back and sides.

Stab vests are different from bulletproof vests, which offer protection against firearms but are ineffective against stabbing attacks. They are constructed using high-strength synthetic fibers with a tighter weave than bulletproof vests and are sometimes reinforced with other laminates.[1][2][3]

Use

Stab proof vests are standard issue to police officers in both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.[4] They are also commonly worn by paramedics, security staff, traffic wardens, environmental wardens, customs officers, immigration officers, bailiffs, cash in transit officers, door supervisors/bouncers, or anyone who else may be under threat.[citation needed]

Bulletproof vests are more commonly used by police in countries with greater firearms ownership, such as the United States and Canada; but dual-purpose armor plates that protect against both stab and firearms attacks are fairly widely available for police and also security applications.[citation needed]

Standards

"Ice pick" tests

In the mid-s the state of California Department of Corrections issued a requirement for a body armor using a commercial ice pick as the test penetrator. The test method attempted to simulate the capacity of a human attacker to deliver impact energy with their upper body. As was later shown, this test overstated the capacity of human attackers. The test used a drop mass or sabot that carried the ice pick. Using gravitational force, the height of the drop mass above the vest was proportional to the impact energy. This test specified 109 joules (81 ft·lbf) of energy and a 7.3 kg (16 lb) drop mass with a drop height of 153 cm (60 in) and an ice pick with a 4 mm (0.16 in) diameter with a sharp tip with a 5.4 m/s (18 ft/s) terminal velocity in the test. The California standard did not include knife or cutting edge weapons in the test protocol. In this early phase only titanium and steel plate offerings were successful in addressing this requirement.

These textile materials do not have equal performance with cutting-edge threats and these certifications were only with ice picks and were not tested with knives.

United Kingdom

The Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) work studied the type of weapons that are commonly used in stabbing attacks and the levels of impact energy fit young men are capable of generating during such an attack. The study resulted in minimum performance ratings for armour used in the UK, as defined under PSDB publication 6/99. The PSDB standard was replaced in with the current Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) publication No. 39/07/C which governs stab resistant body armor performance in the UK. This updated standard introduced a more stringent testing procedure with more drops than the previous standard plus the introduction of the P1/B Blade which is found to be more aggressive that the older P1/A Blade.[5]

In the UK there are no standalone ratings for spike resistance. For stab resistant armor to carry a spike resistance (SP) rating in the UK, it must first pass minimum knife resistance (KR) performance tests.

United States

In the US, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has established a stab-resistant body armor test standard (NIJ STD .00),[6] based on the work in the UK, which defines two threat types: spike and edged blade.

Manufacturers of body armor can voluntarily submit armor models for compliance testing through the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center in Rockville, Maryland. Through the program, manufacturers certify that their armor will defeat the specified threat at one of three threat levels. Threat levels 1, 2 and 3 are based on impact energies of 24 J (18 ft&#;lbf), 33 J (24 ft&#;lbf), and 43 J (32 ft&#;lbf) joules respectively.

See also

References

This article incorporates work from https://peosoldier.army.mil/newpeo/Equipment/Temp.asp?id=SPE_CSPBA, which is in the public domain as it is a work of the United States Military.

For more information, please visit Bulletproof Stab Proof Vest.