Technical textiles for knife and slash resistance

Abstract The knife is the single most commonly used weapon in the UK, accounting for 32% of the weapons employed in violent incidents. Studies reveal that majority of the wounds inflicted by knives are slash-type wounds and can be disfiguring or life-threatening if blood vessels are ruptured. The stab resistant types of armour that are currently available do not protect the arms, neck and face as they are too rigid and heavy to be worn comfortably for everyday use by security personnel and are expensive for the civilian population. This chapter discusses the mechanism of cut and slash resistance and the need to develop a fabric to overcome the specific cut/slash mechanism. It provides an overview of the technical fibres suitable for slash resistance, suitable yarn and fabric manufacturing techniques and relevant test methods to measure resistance against a knife attack. It provides a comprehensive comparison of various composite yarns and knitted fabric structures used in the development of an innovative two-layered knitted structure that is able to withstand a higher impact force during a knife attack, while being lightweight and comfortable to wear continuously for long hours on a day-to-day basis.