STAB RESISTANT CLOTHING

At Bladerunner we offer a range of stab resistant clothing options that have been designed specifically to offer the highest form of stab protection whilst remaining as discrete as possible. Our range of anti-stab PPE clothing are plain, unnoticeable and thin enough to wear under your clothes to avoid drawing attention to the wearer. Whilst “stab proof clothing” is frequently searched for on the internet by those looking to protect themselves against knife crime, stab resistant clothing is ultimately the correct terminology, and it is important to point out that all body armour has the potential to be pierced if confronted by a powerful enough weapon.

Stab resistant PPE, however, offers a high-level of resistance to penetration and puncturing from edged weapons such as knives and other sharp objects such as spikes, screwdrivers, tools or broken bottles. All of our anti stab protective body armour is rated as KR 1 and SP 1; this means that our stab resistant clothing offers the individual additional potentially lifesaving protection for the body that it otherwise could not rely on. Using stab protective clothing could make a significant difference to your survival chances should you, for example, be attacked by someone wielding a knife, which is why it is important to always protect yourself.

There are several levels of protection from country to country, but the two most frequently used and recognised for bullet proof vests and stab proof vests are the US National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the UK Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB). These are the "standards" that are generally used for bullet proof and stab proof vests. NIJ and HOSDB often work together on the same test methods of bullet and stab proof vests, and they use 2-3 standards that include the following:

• Ballistic

• Stab (edged blades)

• Spike (pointed instruments)

It is important to understand that a bullet proof vest is ONLY certified to stop the threats it is designed and specifically tested for. For example, a bullet proof vest is not certified to stop knives penetrating , and, a stab proof vest is not certified to stop any sort of small arms though it may still offer a reasonable level of protection.

Stab proof body armour testing and protection levels

NIJ is considered to be the leader when it comes to testing bullet proof vests and HOSDB is considered to be the leader in stab/spike proof tests, both standards show exactly the resistance that they can withstand.

A stab proof vest has three different levels of protection. For each level, the higher the pressure the stab proof vest will be able to resist.  Furthermore, there is a difference if a stab proof vest is made to stop knives, needles and spikes, as this will depend on what material the vest is made of. 

NIJ standard 0115.00 has 3 different levels:

• There are 3 different test blades. S1, P1 (knife blades) and a spike.
• For each level the E1 drop cannot penetrate the body armour with more than 7 mm. This is to protect your organs from a fatal strike.
• Please note that not all body armour has been tested against all 3 blades, but mostly the S1 blade, as it is easiest to pass through as it only has a one-edged side, while the P1 blade is double edged. 
• At the E2 drop the joules has been increased by 50% and the knives or spike is not allowed to penetrate more than 20 mm. The E2 drop is made to ensure that the stab proof vest won’t fail with full penetration when increasing the striking force. 

HOSDB 2007 Stab Resistant Body Armor Standard

The HOSDB (British Institute) also has their own benchmark for stab resistant body armour. It is very similar to the NIJ standards and the ideas behind both are the same. Both the NIJ and HOSDB have been working together for many years, to improve and develop their standards. 
 
The same rules apply for the penetration limit (only for the P1/B blade). The E1 pressure cannot exceed more than 7 mm and the E2 pressure is 20mm. 

HOSDB use an engineered blade and spike: 

1. Engineered blade (P1 / B) is a knife that can hold its shape after being stabbed into a wooden block multiple times. It is incredibly strong and sharp. 
2. Engineered spike (SP / B) is a pointed instrument (spike). It is 100 mm long and the tip is 4.5 mm long and 2 mm wide. The same applies here for the strength of the blade. 

For HOSDB you can either complete a knife test (KR) or spike test (SP). So, body armour tested according to HOSDB can be called KR or KR+SP. 

The knife blade is tested against both E1 and E2 pressure with a 7 and 20mm penetration limit. The spike is only tested at E1, and is not allowed to penetrate at all.

The need for stab proof clothing

The requirement for stab proof clothing is becoming ever more apparent, not only in professional settings like policing and protection services but also in the average person’s daily life. Society has changed substantially with knife crime skyrocketing over the last decade and gang crime rising exponentially, as a result of this many people no longer feel safe visiting certain areas or post codes.

Over the last decade, 38% of all crime related deaths involved the use of a sharp instrument, this statistic shows the necessity to protect yourself with stab resistant plates or stab proof vests, demonstrating that it is not only the professional sectors that are affected by these surges in knife related crime. Bladerunner anti stab PPE or stab resistant clothing will enable you to go about your daily life whilst feeling safer and without the disadvantage of wearing cumbersome protective vests, as our stab resistant vests are both lightweight and discrete providing effective protection underneath your clothes. Fact source “House of Commons”

Our anti stab clothing has been designed to be discreet to both the wearer and any potential attacker, with the intention of offering added protection for everyday life without impeding on your day-to-day activities. This is especially true with our stab proof plates, with them easily slipping under your top discretely whilst also providing adequate stab resistance. You may be forgiven for forgetting that you are wearing stab resistant clothing and hopefully you don’t ever need to be reminded, but in the worst-case scenario you will have the protection that could save your life.

Our stab resistant clothing, stab proof vests and anti-stab PPE can be used by the general public but have been specifically designed with the intention of being used in professional environments, and with recent terror incidents and knife related crimes highlighting the necessity for the police and other frontline professionals to have ample protection that can withstand the arduous demands and risks that they face daily. Recommending our stab proof vests or stab resistant clothing does not mean we are suggesting that you, your colleagues or anybody else for that matter are in imminent danger, however by wearing Bladerunner protective clothing you can provide both yourself and your workforce with peace of mind whist offering a greater chance of survival in the unlikely event of knife crime or a violent attack. All Bladerunner stab resistant products have undergone extensive quality and safety checks to ensure their effectiveness for both materials and the level of protection they provide.

Though not specifically tested, our stab proof protective products do offer increased protection against other threats including:

• Tear resistance

• Puncture resistance

• Circular blade cut resistance

• Impact resistance

• Abrasion resistance

• Straight blade cut resistance

• Spike resistance

You can find out more information about how our slash proof products are tested here. 

Bladerunner stab resistant clothing and stab proof PPE is extremely important not just in-light of the worrying statistics, we do not assume that you will ever be a victim of crime, but much like a seatbelt in a car, a crash is not imminent, nor are we questioning a drivers’ skill. We simply acknowledge that there is a chance of an accident occurring, and that a seatbelt will offer the best chance of survival. The same thought process can be applied to our stab resistant vests and plates. 

Stab resistant clothing and protective gear

Our range of stab proof vests and stab resistant clothing are pivotal to the protection of professionals and offer the highest standards of stab protection currently available on the market. Prepare your workforce and reduce risk of injury by ensuring the correct levels of PPE are always used. All our protective clothing ranges have undergone extensive tests meeting the highest levels of stab resistance and protection. Bladerunner supply the following stab resistant clothing:

• Anti-stab Covert Vest

• Ultra-thin Stab Resistant Plates

• Lightweight Bullet/Stab Proof Vest Threat Level 2

A full list of all our protective clothing and accessories can be found within our catalogue here. If you would like to see examples of these products in action, please visit our Instagram page.

In addition to our stab resistant clothing range, Bladerunner also offer slash resistant clothing and accessories, anti-scratch clothing, bite resistant clothing, and accessories. More information on these product lines can be found within the links below.