The hottest-selling armor since Wilkinson Sword turned out chain-mail flak suits for airmen in World War II is made, improbably enough, from a finespun synthetic fiber called Kevlar. Developed by Du Pont and used primarily as a substitute for steel in belted radial tires, the fabric—lighter than nylon and tougher than steel—has been fashioned into everything from sports jackets to undervests and worn by everyone who might come under the gun, from cops to Presidents. While even the thickest Kevlar garments will not stop most rifle bullets, the material nonetheless provides formidable protection....
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