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Contents

1. Why Certification Matters
2. UK Home Office Standards: KR1, SP1 (CAST 2017)
3. NIJ 0115.00 — US Stab-Proof Body Armour Standard
4. VPAM KDIW 2004 — German Knife, Spike, Needle & Impact Protection
5. EN388:2016 — Why It Is NOT a Stab-Proof Certification
6. Full Comparison: All Standards at a Glance
7. How to Verify Any Body Armour Certification
8. ArmorLite Certifications
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Glossary of Body Armour Terms

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Why Certification Matters

Two products can appear identical on a product page while offering substantially different levels of protection. Independent testing to a recognised standard — whether resulting in formal certification with public database listing, or a test report from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory — is the most reliable method for distinguishing protective performance. Formal certification adds the benefit of public database verification; a lab report from an accredited facility provides equivalent evidence of protective performance for the specific samples tested.

Without independent testing, the purchaser relies solely on the manufacturer's claims. When a product carries a formal certification, verify the certificate against the relevant public database (such as the Home Office PED for KR1/SP1 claims) — certificate numbers can be fabricated, and database verification confirms a certificate is genuine. For products supported by lab test reports rather than formal certification, confirm the testing laboratory holds ISO 17025 accreditation and contact the lab directly to verify the report is genuine.

This guide covers the major body armour testing standards relevant to the UK and European market:

Standard	Region	What It Actually Tests
CAST KR1/SP1 (Home Office 2017)	UK	Knife and spike resistance at weapon-level force in an accredited lab
NIJ 0115.00	USA	Stab and spike resistance for law enforcement
VPAM KDIW 2004	Germany/EU	Knife, spike, hypodermic needle, and blunt impact protection
EN388:2016	EU	Mechanical material durability: abrasion, cut, tear, puncture — NOT stab-proof

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UK Home Office Standards: KR1, SP1 (CAST 2017)

What Are KR1 and SP1?

KR1 and SP1 are separate certifications that are almost always held together:

Code	Full Name	Threat Type	Examples
KR	Knife Resistance	Edged blades	Kitchen knives, hunting knives, craft knives
SP	Spike Resistance	Pointed weapons	Ice picks, shanks, screwdrivers, needles

Armour can be certified for knife protection alone (KR1), spike protection alone (SP1), or both combined — KR1 + SP1 — which is the standard requirement for multi-threat body armour in UK policing and security. When you see "KR1/SP1" on a product, it means the armour has passed both the knife and spike test protocols independently.

The current generation of standards was set out under HOSDB 2007 (Publication 39/07) — originally introduced as HOSDB 2003 — and updated under CAST 2017 (Publication 012/17), the current version. [Home Office CAST, Publication 012/17] CAST stands for the Centre for Applied Science and Technology, the Home Office body responsible for protective equipment standards. Testing is conducted at UK-accredited independent laboratories.

Protection Levels and Test Energies

Level	E1 Knife Energy	E1 Max Penetration	E2 Knife Energy	E2 Max Penetration	Spike Energy (SP)	Spike Max Penetration
Level 1 (KR1/SP1)	24 J	≤ 8 mm	36 J	≤ 20 mm	24 J	0 mm
Level 2 (KR2/SP2)	33 J	≤ 8 mm	50 J	≤ 20 mm	33 J	0 mm
Level 3 (KR3/SP3)	43 J	≤ 8 mm	65 J	≤ 20 mm	43 J	0 mm

Source: Home Office CAST, Body Armour Standard 2017 (Publication 012/17).

Key points:

• E1 is the primary test — the energy level the armour must defeat with minimal penetration (≤8 mm for knives, 0 mm for spikes).
• E2 is the "overtest" — a 50% higher energy level simulating a worst-case scenario. Up to 20 mm of penetration is permitted at E2 for knife strikes only. Spike penetration must remain 0 mm at E2 as well — the overtest energy increases from 24 J to 36 J (SP1), but the zero-penetration requirement does not relax.
• Spike penetration must be zero at all levels and both energy tiers. Unlike knife penetration, where limited penetration (≤8 mm at E1, ≤20 mm at E2) is permitted, spike penetration of any depth constitutes a failure. This reflects the injury mechanics of pointed weapons, where even minimal penetration can reach deep tissue structures.
• All testing is multi-angle — strikes are delivered at 90° (perpendicular) and at angled orientations, including on seams and overlaps.
• All testing is multi-strike. The armour is subjected to multiple consecutive strikes, including strikes on seams and overlaps, to simulate sustained attack conditions.
• The 24-joule entry level corresponds to approximately the 85th percentile of maximum overarm stabbing force measured across the adult male population (PSDB stabbing energy study, 1997–1999) [PSDB, 1997–1999; Horsfall et al., Forensic Science International, Vol 102(2–3), pp 79–89, 1999]. This means KR1/SP1 armour is designed to defeat the maximum force the vast majority of people can generate — not an average strike, but the hardest realistic attack.

Energy Equivalents for 24 Joules

A joule is a unit of energy. 24 joules is approximately:

• A 1 kg mass dropped from about 2.45 metres
• The kinetic energy of a 4.8 kg mass dropped from 0.5 metres [PSDB, 1997–1999]
• The strongest overarm stab approximately 85% of the adult male population can deliver with a knife (per the PSDB 1997–1999 stabbing energy study)

How CAST Certification Works (2025 Process)

As of May 2025, the Home Office formalised the certification process with Version 1.0 of the Test House SOP Guidance [Home Office CAST, May 2025]:

1. Manufacturer submits technical file — contacts a UK-accredited test house with armour construction details, photographs, and stitching specifications.
2. Test house verifies documentation and conducts testing per BAS17 requirements, using a drop-tower or guided-mass mechanism with witness-material backing, under wet, dry, and temperature-conditioned states.
3. Critical Perforation Analysis (CPA) — a statistical method used to estimate the probability of perforation across multiple test strikes, replacing the older pass/fail-per-strike model — is calculated using the Home Office CPA tool.
4. If the armour passes, a Certificate of Accreditation (CoA) is drafted and submitted to the Home Office — not sent directly to the manufacturer.
5. If the armour fails, the model number cannot be reused for any future submission.
6. Passed certifications are published on the Police Equipment Database (PED) at ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Certificates do not have a fixed expiry date, but products can be delisted from the PED if the manufacturer ceases production or fails to maintain quality assurance processes. Recent certifications (within 3 years) are preferable.

How to Verify KR1/SP1 Certification

1. Ask the seller for the certificate number and test house name.
2. Cross-reference on the PED database at ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk.
3. Verify the test report covers the specific model you are buying — not a different product from the same manufacturer.
4. Check the certificate date — while certificates do not expire, manufacturing processes can change.

What if the product has a lab test report but no PED listing? Not all independently tested armour appears on the PED. A test report from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, demonstrating testing to the CAST 2017 methodology at the claimed energy levels, is also valid evidence of protective performance. To verify such a report: (1) confirm the laboratory's ISO 17025 accreditation status on the UKAS website, (2) contact the lab directly with the report number to confirm authenticity, and (3) verify the report covers the specific model you are buying. The PED listing provides the convenience of public verification; an accredited lab report provides equivalent evidence for the samples tested.

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NIJ 0115.00 — US Stab-Proof Body Armour Standard Explained

Overview

NIJ Standard 0115.00 (Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor) is the US Department of Justice standard for stab-resistant body armour, nationally accepted for law enforcement and corrections officers [NIJ, 0115.00].

The standard was developed using data from the same PSDB study (1997–1999) [PSDB, 1997–1999; Horsfall et al., Forensic Science International, Vol 102(2–3), pp 79–89, 1999] that informed the UK CAST standard — measuring the stabbing force distribution across the male population. The energy levels correspond to the 85th, 90th, and 96th percentiles of maximum overarm stabbing force.

Two Protection Classes

Class	Symbol	Threat	Typical Environment
Edged Blade	Blue square	Machined knife blades	Street patrol, general duty
Spike	Green triangle	Improvised spike weapons, shivs	Corrections, prisons

Armour is labelled with both a shape (indicating threat type) and a number (1, 2, or 3, indicating protection level).

Protection Levels

Level	E1 Energy	E2 Energy (Overtest)	E1 Max Penetration (Blade)	E1 Max Penetration (Spike)	E2 Max Penetration	Population %ile
1	24 J	36 J	≤ 7 mm	0 mm	≤ 20 mm	85th
2	33 J	50 J	≤ 7 mm	0 mm	≤ 20 mm	90th
3	43 J	65 J	≤ 7 mm	0 mm	≤ 20 mm	96th

Source: NIJ Standard 0115.00, US Department of Justice.

Note: NIJ 0115.00 requires 0 mm spike penetration for spike-rated armour, matching the CAST zero-penetration requirement. The 7 mm limit applies to edged-blade penetration only. As with CAST, the E2 overtest energy is 50% higher but spike penetration must remain 0 mm at both E1 and E2 tiers.

NIJ vs CAST: Key Differences

Aspect	NIJ 0115.00	CAST KR1/SP1
Jurisdiction	United States	United Kingdom
E1 knife penetration limit	≤ 7 mm	≤ 8 mm
Spike penetration limit	0 mm	0 mm
Test angles	0° and 45°	Multiple angles including seams
Test mechanism	Drop-tower with witness backing	Guided-mass with conditioning (wet/dry/temperature)
Seam testing	Not required	Required — strikes on seams and overlaps
Certification body	NIJ-approved labs	Home Office PED
Public database	NIJ Compliant Products List	PED website

The UK CAST standard is more stringent on test coverage (more angles, seam strikes, environmental conditioning) rather than penetration limits. Both standards demand zero spike penetration at all energy tiers. Armour that passes KR1/SP1 at the same 24 J energy level uses a comparable entry threshold to NIJ Level 1, and the two standards share the same PSDB research foundation — however, the test protocols differ (guided-mass with conditioning vs drop-tower), so the standards are not directly interchangeable and a KR1/SP1 pass does not constitute formal NIJ certification. The reverse is also not guaranteed: armour passing NIJ Level 1 has not been tested to CAST's additional seam-strike and environmental conditioning requirements.

Although both standards test at 24 joules at entry level, they are not directly interchangeable. The NIJ standard uses a drop-tower at 0° and 45° on unconditioned armour, while CAST uses a guided mass at multiple angles including seams on wet, dry, and temperature-conditioned panels. The energy input is identical; the test protocols differ, producing results that are not directly comparable.

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VPAM KDIW 2004 — German Standard for Knife, Spike, Needle & Impact Protection

Overview

VPAM KDIW 2004 (current edition: May 2011) is the German test standard for stab and impact-resistant protective equipment, published by the Association of Test Laboratories for Attack-Resistant Materials and Constructions (VPAM) [VPAM, 2004/2011].

VPAM is unique among body armour standards in testing four distinct threat types under one standard:

Code	German	Threat	Examples
K	Klinge	Knife (blade)	Edged weapons
D	Dorn	Nail/Spike	Pointed weapons
I	Injektion	Injection cannula	Hypodermic needles
W	Wurfkörper (thrown projectile/impact object)	Thrown/swung object	Blocks, bricks, hammers, bottles

Protection Classes

Class	Knife Energy	Spike Energy	Needle Energy	Max Penetration (BFD)*
K1/D1	25 J	25 J	—	< 20 mm
K2/D2	40 J	40 J	—	< 20 mm
K3/D3	65 J	65 J	—	< 20 mm
K4/D4	80 J	80 J	—	< 20 mm
I1	—	—	2.5 J	0 mm

* Back-face deformation (BFD), not blade penetration. VPAM measures the depth of the depression in a clay or Plastilina witness backing material behind the armour panel — representing blunt trauma transferred to the wearer — rather than the distance a blade tip penetrates through the armour itself. This is a fundamentally different measurement philosophy from CAST and NIJ, which measure blade tip penetration depth directly. The <20 mm VPAM limit is a blunt-trauma criterion, not a perforation allowance. Under the CAST/NIJ methodology, the same armour might record near-zero blade penetration at equivalent energy levels. When comparing standards, always confirm which measurement method is being reported.

Note: VPAM permits higher measured deformation (under 20 mm in the witness material) than CAST or NIJ at equivalent energy levels. This is a deliberate design choice — VPAM prioritises back-face signature and blunt trauma measurement alongside penetration, reflecting a different injury-model philosophy. Always compare standards on total protective performance, not a single metric.

The Needle Test (I1) — VPAM's Unique Differentiator

VPAM is the only major standard that tests against hypodermic needle attacks (21G cannula, 2.5 joules strike energy, zero penetration required). This matters for:

• Prison and custody officers — needle threats are common in correctional settings
• Healthcare security staff — higher exposure to blood-borne pathogen transmission risk
• Anyone in close-contact enforcement roles

Block/Impact Protection (W)

VPAM also tests impact protection against thrown or swung objects:

Class	Impact Energy	Max Deformation (BFD)*
W1	15 J	< 20 mm
W2	25 J	< 20 mm
W3	40 J	< 20 mm
W4	65 J	< 20 mm
W5	100 J	< 20 mm

Relevant for public-order policing, security at protests or large events, and environments where blunt weapons may be used.

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EN388:2016 — Why It Is NOT a Stab-Proof Certification

What EN388 Certification Means

EN388:2016+A1:2018 is the European standard for protective gloves against mechanical risks. [EN 388:2016+A1:2018] Its test principles are also referenced for protective clothing materials, including body armour fabrics. The standard tests material durability against industrial hazards; it does not test against weapon-level threats. A vest with only an EN388 rating has not been subjected to knife or spike attack testing at any energy level.

What EN388 Actually Tests

Position	Test	Scale	What It Measures
1st digit	Abrasion Resistance	1–4	Cycles to wear through the material
2nd digit	Blade Cut Resistance (Coup test)	1–5	Resistance to a rotating circular blade under 5 N load, applied vertically while the blade rotates against the moving sample
3rd digit	Tear Resistance	1–4	Newtons of force to tear the material
4th digit	Puncture Resistance	1–4	Newtons of force to puncture with a standardised probe (NOT a knife)
5th character	TDM Cut Resistance (ISO 13997)	A–F	Resistance to a single-stroke straight blade (2 N–30 N+)
6th character	Impact Protection (EN 13594)	P, X, or blank	P = Pass for impact-absorbing padding; X = not tested; blank = not applicable

A typical EN388 rating looks like: 4 5 4 3 D P

The TDM-100 Cut Test (ISO 13997) — The One That Matters for Body Armour

The TDM-100 (Tomodynamometer, the device manufactured by ASTM for ISO 13997) [ISO 13997:1999] test fixes a major flaw in the original Coup test: materials containing steel, fibreglass, or aramid fibres dull the rotating blade, producing unreliable results. The TDM test:

• Uses a fresh razor blade for every single cut
• Measures the force (in Newtons) required to cut through 20 mm of material
• Is much more relevant to body armour: a single sharp blade drawn once

TDM Level	Force (N)	Real-World Comparison
A	2–4.9	Minimal — light handling gloves
B	5–9.9	Low — general work gloves
C	10–14.9	Low–moderate — glass/metal handling
D	15–21.9	Moderate–high — assembly, machine tools
E	22–29.9	High — waste handling, metal edges
F	30+	Extreme — heavy assembly, machining, stamping

The Key Distinction

EN388 tests material durability under industrial conditions, but it is important to understand what it does test — and where its limits lie.

What EN388 does test: The Coup test (2nd digit) and TDM-100 test (5th character, ISO 13997) both measure resistance to being cut by a blade drawn across the material. The TDM-100 uses a fresh straight razor blade for every cut — this is a real-world slash test, measuring how much force is needed to cut through the material. The puncture test (4th digit) measures resistance to a standardised probe being pressed through. These tests assess genuine blade and penetration resistance, and a vest with high EN388 ratings (e.g., cut Level 5, TDM Level F, puncture Level 4) uses material that is demonstrably difficult to cut or pierce — which has practical value in mitigating slash-type injuries in a knife attack.

What EN388 does not test: None of these tests simulate a knife thrust or spike attack at weapon-level force (24+ joules). The TDM-100 measures cut-through force in Newtons (typically 2–30N+) for a blade drawn across the surface, not the 24–43 joules of a overarm stabbing strike driving a knife tip perpendicularly into the armour. The puncture test uses a slow-pressed standardised probe at up to ~150N, not a sharp knife tip or spike at impact speed. And EN388 includes no spike (ice pick, shank) testing at all.

Practical takeaway: A vest with high EN388 ratings may provide meaningful protection against slashing attacks and low-energy punctures. For environments where slash threats predominate, this has real protective value. However, a vest rated only to EN388 has not been verified to stop a weapon-level stab or spike thrust. For multi-threat protection — particularly against the overarm stabbing attacks that constitute the most severe knife assaults — the relevant standards are KR1/SP1, NIJ 0115.00, or VPAM KDIW. The most protective approach combines both: a vest tested to KR1/SP1 for stab and spike protection, constructed from materials with high EN388 cut and puncture ratings for comprehensive slash and penetration resistance.

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Full Comparison: All Standards at a Glance

Knife Protection

Comparison of knife protection levels across CAST, NIJ, and VPAM standards

Feature	CAST KR1	CAST KR2	CAST KR3	NIJ L1	NIJ L2	NIJ L3	VPAM K1	VPAM K2	VPAM K3	VPAM K4
Knife E1 energy	24 J	33 J	43 J	24 J	33 J	43 J	25 J	40 J	65 J	80 J
Knife E2 energy	36 J	50 J	65 J	36 J	50 J	65 J	—	—	—	—
E1 blade penetration limit	≤8 mm	≤8 mm	≤8 mm	≤7 mm	≤7 mm	≤7 mm	<20 mm*	<20 mm*	<20 mm*	<20 mm*
Multi-angle	Yes	Yes	Yes	0°, 45°	0°, 45°	0°, 45°	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Seam testing	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Spike & Special Threats

Comparison of spike, needle, and impact protection across standards

Feature	CAST SP1	CAST SP2	CAST SP3	NIJ Spike L1	NIJ Spike L2	NIJ Spike L3	VPAM D1	VPAM D2	VPAM D3	VPAM D4
Spike energy	24 J	33 J	43 J	24 J	33 J	43 J	25 J	40 J	65 J	80 J
Spike penetration limit	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	<20 mm*	<20 mm*	<20 mm*	<20 mm*
Needle protection	No	No	No	No	No	No	I1: 0 mm at 2.5 J
Impact protection	No	No	No	No	No	No	W1–W5: 15–100 J

* VPAM penetration values are back-face deformation (BFD) measured in witness material, not blade tip penetration depth. See VPAM section for full explanation.

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How to Verify Any Body Armour Certification

1. Ask for the certificate number. A legitimate certification has a traceable reference number.
2. Identify the test house. Find out which independent laboratory conducted the testing. For UK armour, it must be a Home Office-accredited facility.
3. Cross-reference on the public database. For KR1/SP1: ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk. For NIJ: the NIJ Compliant Products List at nij.ojp.gov.
4. Match the model. Verify the certificate is for the exact model you are buying — not a different product from the same manufacturer.
5. Check the date. While certifications do not have a fixed expiry, manufacturing processes, materials, and factory locations can change. A certificate more than 5 years old may not reflect the product currently being manufactured. Products can be delisted from the PED if QA processes change.
6. Distinguish between "tested to" and "certified to". "Certified to [standard]" means the armour passed independent testing at an accredited laboratory and is listed on a public database. "Tested to [standard]" may indicate an in-house test with no independent verification or public record — or it may refer to a legitimate test report from an ISO 17025-accredited lab that tested to the standard's methodology without pursuing the formal certification and database listing process. Ask whether the testing was conducted by an accredited independent laboratory; if so, request the lab name, report number, and accreditation details so you can verify the report directly with the lab.

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ArmorLite Certifications

Product Line	Certification	Standard	What This Means
FlexGuard Series	KR1 + SP1	CAST 2017	Independently tested and certified for knife and spike resistance at 24 joules. Listed on the Home Office PED.
SoftGuard Series	EN388:2016 — 4 5 4 3 D	European mechanical protection	Rated for mechanical durability: abrasion Level 4, Coup cut Level 5, tear Level 4, puncture Level 3, TDM cut Level D. Not stab-proof certified. For verified knife/spike protection, see FlexGuard.

All ArmorLite certifications are conducted by UK-accredited independent test laboratories. Certificate numbers and full test reports are available on request — contact customer@armorliteshop.com.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does KR1 mean on body armour?

KR1 means Knife Resistance Level 1 under the UK Home Office CAST 2017 standard. It certifies the armour has stopped a knife strike at 24 joules of energy with no more than 8 mm penetration, tested at multiple angles including seams in an accredited UK laboratory. [Home Office CAST, Publication 012/17]

What is the difference between KR1 and SP1?

KR1 certifies protection against edged knife blades; SP1 certifies protection against pointed spike weapons such as ice picks and screwdrivers. SP1 is more demanding because it requires zero penetration — even 1 mm constitutes a failure. Most operational armour holds both certifications (KR1 + SP1).

Is EN388 a stab-proof certification?

No. EN388 is a European mechanical durability standard for materials, testing abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture resistance under industrial conditions. It is not tested at knife or spike attack energies (24+ joules). A vest with only an EN388 rating has not been certified as stab-proof. For verified stab protection, look for KR1/SP1, NIJ 0115.00, or VPAM KDIW.

How can I check if body armour is genuinely KR1 certified?

Ask the seller for the certificate number and test house name (or the lab test report number and laboratory name), then cross-reference on the Home Office Police Equipment Database (PED) at ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk. Not all independently tested armour appears on the PED — a test report from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory is also valid evidence. Verify the certificate or report is for the exact model you are buying — not a different product. Check the date; while certificates don't formally expire, products can be delisted if QA processes change.

Is NIJ 0115.00 the same as UK KR1?

They use similar energy levels (24 J at entry level) and both require zero spike penetration, but employ different test protocols. NIJ uses a drop-tower at 0° and 45°; CAST uses a guided-mass mechanism at multiple angles including seams, with wet, dry, and temperature conditioning. The standards are broadly comparable for knife protection but not directly interchangeable — CAST's additional test requirements mean KR1/SP1 is the more demanding certification.

What is VPAM KDIW and why does it matter?

VPAM KDIW 2004 is the German standard for stab and impact-resistant armour. It is the only major standard that also tests against hypodermic needles (I1 class, 21G cannula at 2.5 J, zero penetration) and blunt-impact weapons (W class, 15–100 J), making it particularly relevant for prison, healthcare security, and public-order roles where these threats exist.

What is the difference between "tested to" and "certified to" a standard?

"Certified to" means the armour passed independent testing at an accredited laboratory and is listed on a public database (such as the Home Office PED). "Tested to" could mean an in-house test with no independent verification — or it could mean a legitimate independent test report from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory that tested to the standard's methodology without pursuing the formal certification and database listing process. The key distinction is not the label but whether the testing was conducted by an accredited independent laboratory. If a seller claims "tested to KR1/SP1," ask for the lab name, report number, and the lab's ISO 17025 accreditation details so you can verify the report directly.

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Glossary of Body Armour Terms

BAS17

Body Armour Standard 2017 — the testing protocol document accompanying CAST 2017 (Publication 012/17). Defines the test methods, equipment, and pass/fail criteria.

BFD (Back-Face Deformation)

The depth of the depression formed in a clay or Plastilina witness backing material behind an armour panel during impact testing. Measures blunt trauma transferred to the wearer rather than blade penetration through the armour. Used by VPAM; CAST and NIJ measure blade tip penetration directly. See VPAM section.

CAST

Centre for Applied Science and Technology — the UK Home Office body responsible for protective equipment standards and the Police Equipment Database.

CoA

Certificate of Accreditation — the formal document issued when armour passes CAST testing, submitted by the test house to the Home Office (not directly to the manufacturer).

CPA

Critical Perforation Analysis — a statistical method used in CAST 2017 to estimate the probability of perforation across multiple test strikes, replacing the older pass/fail-per-strike model.

E1 / E2

E1 is the primary test energy level a vest must pass. E2 is the "overtest" at 50% higher energy, simulating a worst-case strike. More penetration is permitted at E2 for knives only; spike penetration must remain 0 mm at both E1 and E2.

EN388

European standard for protective gloves against mechanical risks (abrasion, cut, tear, puncture). NOT a stab-proof certification. Often referenced for body armour fabric durability.

HOSDB

Home Office Scientific Development Branch — the predecessor body to CAST. Published the original UK body armour standards (HOSDB 2003, revised 2007 as Publication 39/07).

ISO 13997

International standard for the TDM-100 cut resistance test — uses a fresh razor blade for each cut, measuring force (Newtons) required to cut through 20 mm of material.

NIJ 0115.00

US Department of Justice standard for stab-resistant body armour. Tests edged blade and spike threats at 24–43 J using a drop-tower mechanism at 0° and 45°.

PED

Police Equipment Database — the Home Office public registry of certified body armour models at ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk.

PSDB

Police Scientific Development Branch — conducted the foundational 1997–1999 stabbing energy distribution study (Horsfall et al., Forensic Science International, Vol 102, 1999) that informs the energy levels used in both CAST and NIJ standards.

TDM-100

Tomodynamometer — the ASTM-manufactured device used for ISO 13997 cut resistance testing. Delivers a single straight-blade cut under controlled force.

VPAM KDIW

Vereinigung der Prüfstellen für angriffshemmende Materialien und Konstruktionen — German association of test laboratories for attack-resistant materials. The KDIW standard (2004, ed. 2011) tests knife (K), spike (D), injection needle (I), and thrown-object impact (W) threats. Uniquely measures back-face deformation (BFD) rather than blade penetration depth.

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About This Page

This page is maintained by ArmorLite, a UK maker and retailer of body armour that has passed NIJ 0115.00 and EN388:2016 testing. It provides a reference for security professionals, procurement officers, and members of the public on body armour certification standards and verification procedures.

Author: Harry Huang, Material Engineer, ArmorLite (15+ years industrial experience in protective textiles and body armour certification). Reviewed by: UK-certified body armour test laboratory consultant, June 2026. Every claim in this guide is drawn from published standards documents and official databases, listed in the Sources section below. This page compiles and presents certification information from published standards; it does not constitute legal or professional certification advice.

Methodology: This guide is based on the full text of CAST Publication 012/17, NIJ Standard 0115.00, EN 388:2016+A1:2018, ISO 13997:1999, VPAM KDIW 2004 (2011 edition), the Home Office Test House SOP Guidance v1.0 (May 2025), the PSDB 1997–1999 stabbing energy study (Horsfall et al., Forensic Science International, 1999), and the current PED and NIJ Compliant Products List databases. The certification process steps were verified with UK-accredited test house staff.

Corrections: If you spot an error, please email customer@armorliteshop.com with the subject line "Certification Guide Correction" and include a link to the authoritative source.

Related ArmorLite resources:

• FlexGuard Series — KR1/SP1 Certified Stab-Proof Vests
• SoftGuard Series — EN388-Rated Protective Clothing
• UK Knife Crime Statistics 2026 — latest ONS, NHS & HSE data
• Stab Proof Vest Buying Guide — covert vs overt, sizing, and what to look for
• Is Body Armour Legal in the UK? — plain-English legal FAQ

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Sources

1. Home Office CAST, Body Armour Standard 2017 (Publication 012/17)
2. Home Office CAST, Test House SOP Guidance v1.0, May 2025
3. NIJ Standard 0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor, US Department of Justice
4. VPAM KDIW 2004, Prüfrichtlinie: Stich- und Schlagschutz, May 2011
5. EN 388:2016+A1:2018, Protective Gloves Against Mechanical Risks
6. ISO 13997:1999, Protective Clothing — Mechanical Properties — Determination of Resistance to Cutting by Sharp Objects
7. Horsfall I, Prosser PD, Watson CH, Champion SM, "An assessment of human performance in stabbing," Forensic Science International, Vol 102(2–3), pp 79–89, 1999. PSDB summary at GOV.UK
8. Home Office Police Equipment Database, ped-cast.homeoffice.gov.uk
9. NIJ, Body Armor Performance Standards and Compliance Testing, nij.ojp.gov
10. SATRA, EN388:2016 Summary of Key Changes, 2016