CA2043062C

CA2043062C - Knittable yarn and safety apparel

Info

Publication number: CA2043062C
Application number: CA002043062A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Joseph Hummel
Original assignee: Whizard Protective Wear Corp
Current assignee: Wells Lamont Industrial Group LLC
Priority date: 1990-05-25
Filing date: 1991-05-22
Publication date: 2001-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-05-22
Also published as: CA2043062A1; DE69121772D1; DE69121772T2; EP0458343B1; EP0458343A1

Abstract

Yarn and a knitted safety glove or other article made of the yarn, which has a care of at least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber such as Vectran HS fiber surrounded by one or two wrappings of high strength synthetic fiber, preferably high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber such as Vectran HS fiber or high strength aramid fiber, or high strength stretched polyethylene fiber, or a combination of high strength fibers. One embodiment of the yarn includes a wire strand in the core. In one embodiment the fiber care strand is of 200 to 1500 denier and has one to fifty filaments of 4 to 500 denier. In another embodiment, a second high strength synthetic core strand is included.

Description

Technical Field The invention relates to yarn suitable for machine knitting and to safety garments made with the yarn.
Background Art Cut-resistant yarn utilizing stainless steel wire strands and high tensile strength aramid strands, such as Kevlar made by E.I Dupont de Nemours Corp., and gloves made therefrom are shown in the Byrnes et al.
U. S. Patent No. 4,384,449 and in the Bettcher U. S.
Patent No. 4,470,251. These gloves have proven highly successful. One other fiber, a high strength stretched polyethylene fiber manufactured and marketed by Allied Corporation, Morris Township, Morris County, N. J., U.S.A., has heretofore also provided good cut resistance when used in place of aramid fiber. The Allied fiber is sold under the name Spectra and is described in detail in U. S. Patent No. 4,413,110 to Kavesh et al. Other fibers have not provided equal cut resistance along with other desirable characteristics for such products.

:~ ~a ~~. r ~~r~~:7~J~,9~, ni~rlosure of~,he Invention The present invention provides a high strength, cut~resistant, lcnittable composite yarn that utilizes a yarn or fiber strand or component, spun from Vectran liquid crystal polymer, of high strength to provide high cut resistance. The yarn or fiber is a high performance filament yarn sold by Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina, under 'the name Vectran STS.
This yarn or fiber has essentially the same strength as 7.0 the aramid fiber sold under the name Kevlar, but has better abrasion resistance. At the same time, it has significantly better heat resistance than high strength stretched polyethylene fiber, thus overcoming a different shortcoming of each of Kevlar and Spectra for use in a cut resistant yarn used for apparel and particularly for cut resistant gloves, while providing the substantial advantages that those two materials have over other materials in terms of cut resistance and other characteristics in a composite yarn. Thus, knit 20 fabric suitable for gloves and other safety garments utilizing Vectran HS fiber has greater abrasion resistance than similar fabric made with aramid fiber or a combination of aramid and nylon fiber, yet is itself nonabrasive and comfortable to wear, and such fabric can be laundered at high temperatures conventionally used for industrial fabrics without degrading the fabric.

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Tn its broad aspects, 'the present invention provides a cut-resistant yarn suitable for machine knitting, comprising a core having a~t least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber, such as Vectran HS fiber, having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denie:c, and of a denier between about 200 and 1,500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, the wrapping having a tenacity greater than 10 grams per denier, In preferred forms, an embodiment of the invention utilizes wire :in the core, and another embodiment does not, but instead relies on a limited number of filaments of significant denier to comprise the liquid arystal polymer yarn or fiber of the core.
Tn 'their broad aspects, the embodiments of the present invention that utilize wire in 'the core provide a cut-resistant yarn suitable far machine knitting, comprising a core having at least one strand of flexible metal wire having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.010 inch, and at least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber such as Vectran HS fiber, having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1,500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about 'the core, the wrapping having a tenacity greater than 10 grams per denier and preferably greater

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than 'the tenacity or tensile strength of the metal wire.
Tn their broad aspects, the embodiments of the invention that do not utilize wire in the core provide a cut-resistant yarn suitable for machine knitting, comprising a core having a strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber, such as Vectran HS fiber, having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and a denier of between about 200 and 1,500, and formed of Pram 1 to 5U filaments, or so-called ~~EnGIS . ~a The invention further provides a cut-resistant machine-knitted article of apparel, one such article being a flexible glove, at least in part made of yarn having the constructions as described above.
In preferred constructions, the yarn utilizes either two wrappings of Vectran HS fiber, each of a denier of from about 200 to about 800, which provide high cut resistance, abrasion resistance, and heat resistance; or two wrappings, one of Kevlar or other high strength aramid and one of Spectra or other high strength stretched polyethylene, each of from about 200 to about 800 denier, which provide very high cut resistance. In preferred constructions of the embadi.-ments that do not include wire in the core, the core filaments or ends of the Vectran HS fiber are each between 4 and 500 denier. 3n such a construction, a

4

5'~ ~ a strand of another high strength synthetic fiber, such as Spectra or Kevlar, may also be used in the core along with the Vectran HIS fiber.
A glove ar other article of apparel utilizing a preferred yarn construction has not only high resistance to cutting, but also good wear qualities and comfort, does not take a set during use, is non-abrasive, provides a good appearance, and is cleanable and long wearing.
The above and other features and advantages of the invention will. become more aa;pparent from the detailed description that follows.
Brief Descriytion of the Drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, view of a yarn embodying the present invention:
Figure 2 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, view of a second yarn embodying the present invention;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, view of a third yarn embodying the present inventions and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of an article of apparel, i.e., a knitted glove, made of yarn embodying the present invention, such as the yarn shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Best Mode for Carrvinq-Out the Invention The depicted glove A is exemplary of a safety article of apparel embodying the present invention and is a safety or pro'tec'tive g7.ove suitable to be worn by operatives in the food processing arid other industries where sharp instruments or articles, such as knives, or material having sharp edges, for example, sheet metal, glass and the like, are handled, and is made of a composite mul~tistrand yarn Et, C or D constructed in accordance with the present inventian. The glove A has the usual finger and thumb sta:l.ls 4, 6 respectively, and a wrist part 8 incarporating~ an elastic thread or yarn.
The glove is made using conventional methods and glove knitting machinery.
'fhe yarn H employed in the glove A comprises a core part 10 and two windings 12, 14 of synthetic fiber wound thereon in opposite directions one on top of the other. The fact that the wrappings 12, 1~ are in dif-ferent directions ba:Lances the forces incident to the wrappings so the yarn has na unusual twist or tendency to coil and assists in holding the wrappings in place on the core 10. The windings are between four and twenty turns per inch and preferably about eight to twelve turns per inch. The core part 10 of the yarn H
comprises two strands of annealed stainless steel wire 16 and 18, and one strand 20 of Vectran HIS fiber, marketed by Hoechst Celanese Corporation. In another preferred embodiment, only one strand of annealed wire identical to the strand 16 is provided in the core.

6 T.he core structure 10 is designed to provide cut resistance, knittability, flexibility and life to the yarn; and the wrappings 12, 14 retain the core and create bady. One or both of the wrappings 10, 12 are of high strength synthetic fiber to contribute significant-ly to the cut resistance of the yarn.
Tk~e stainless steel wire 16 of 'the core part of the yarn B has a diameter of about 0.003 inch. 5tain:less steel wire of the size mentioned, of 304 stainless steel, fully annealed, which has a tensile strength of abaut 110,000 to 135,000 pounds per square inch, is believed to have optimum flexibility and life.
The strand of synthetic fiber 20 in the core 10 of the yarn B is a high strength relatively nonstretchable multifilament synthetic fiber of Vectran HS having a tensile strength greater than that of the wire. The Veetran HS liquid crystal polymer fiber has an initial tensile modules of at least about 600 grams per denier.
It has a tenacity (tensile strength at break) of about 20 to 25 grams per denier and its elongation at break is about 2.2 to 2.5 percent. The size of the strand 20 is 900 denier, but other sizes are suitable, from about 200 to about 1,500 denier, more preferably from about 500 to about 1200 denier, and most preferably from about 900 to about 1200 denier.
The first or inner wrapping 12 on the core 10 of

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the yarn F3 Is a high strength synthetic fiber, preferab-ly a multifilament high strength fiber material, such as Vectran HS is used for the strand 20. Because Vectran HS
fiber material has good abrasion resistance and heat resistance along with its cut resistance, it is advantageously used for the outer wrapping 14 as well as for the inner wrapping 12. '.Thus, in the embodiment shown, the outer wrapping 1~~ of the yarn B Is identical to the inner wrapping 12, e~ccept wrapped in the opposite direction. The use of a single high strength fiber material for both wrappings 12 and 14 simplifies Inventory and processing procedures and gives improved cut and abrasion .resistance over the use of two aramld wrappings or an aramid inner wrapping and a nylon outer wrapping and better heat resistance over the use of two high strength stretched polyethylene wrappings or an inner high strength stretched polyethylene inner wrapping and a nylon outer wrapping. While a polyester outer wrap may be used in place of the outer Vectran HS
wrap, a reduction In cut resistance will result. Each wrapping 12 and ~.4 is of a denier of from about 200 to about 1500, more preferably from about 200 to about 1000, and most preferably from about 200 to about 800.
Preferably each wrapping is about 200 denier when the yarn is used for a glove knitted with two strands of the yarn (i.e., two strands of yarn are threaded

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concurrently through a knitting needle), or when the yarn is used for a lighter weight glove having greater flexibility and comfort. For a glove or protective garment knit from a single strand of yarn and also having very high cut resistance, it is preferred that the inner and outer wrappings be of greater denier, preferably from about 400 to 600 denier. The overall diameter of the yarn B should be no greater than 0.05 inch and preferably no greater than 0.03 inch to facilitate machine knitting.
Cwt resistance of the yarn B and the glove A when made of the yarn B is in part a function of the quantity of metal wire in the yarn. However, stainless steel core strands in excess of 0.004 inch in diameter reduce the flexibility and knittability of the yarn and the wearing qualities of garments made of such yarn. Plural steel strands are advantageous for flexibility over one larger strand where increased cut resistance is desired. Two to six stainless steel core strands of about 0.002 inch to about 0.006 inch in diameter can be employed in typical applications. Stainless steel strands of a diameter less than about 0.002 inch have a shorter life, are relatively expensive and have not been found to be otherwise sufficiently advantageous to warrant the increased cost. Stainless steel strands having diameters between about 0.002 inch and about

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0.004 inch have been found to be modst satisfactory.
Stainless steel is preferred for the: wire strands employed in preferred embodiments of the invention and is important for use in gloves and other garments used in the food industry. Other kinds of metal wire strands, if desired for special purposes, may be used, such as, aluminum, copper, bronze or steel.
The use of a multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber strand,, such as Vectran HS fa.ber strand, in the core is very advantageous. Multifilament strand is very linear and slides and/or flows well relative to the other parts of 'the core during fabrica-tion and subsequent use of an article of apparel produced therewith. The high strength rnultifilament core strand, which is relatively unstretchable, takes a great deal if not the major part of the 'tensile load to which the yarn is subjected during knitting. It also appears to increase the flexibility of the core part of the yarn over an all metal core arid in turn makes the yarn more easily knit, i.e., imparts to the yarn greater knit--tability. Tt also improves cut resistance. The synthetic wrappings 12, 14 of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber such as Vectran HS
fiber contribute to the cut resistance of the yarn. The wrapping 12 provides a desirable rigid backup surface for the outer wrapping 14, which tends to fill out the valleys of the wrapping immediately therebeneath. The multifilament wrappings 12, 14 wound flat about the core, producing a yarn with a smooth surface that aids the knitting process and that has a good appearance, a non-abrasive surface, and that provides heat resistance and maximum comfort.
An alternative yarn C employed in the glove A
comprises a core 30 and three wrappings 32, 39 and 36 of synthetic fiber about 'the core, one on top of another and in an opposite dlrectiOTl. The wrappings have between four and twenty turns per inch and pre:Eerably about eight to twelve.
The core 30 is a strand of Vectran HS fiber, and has a denier of about 200 to about 1500 and is comprised of from one to 50 filaments or ends, each of which has a denier of from about 4 to about 500. The use of relatively few filaments of relatively high denier, preferably a denier of at least 12 and more preferably at least 20, results in the core strand behaving somewhat like a monofilament core and allows the Vectran HS to function as a replacement for the steel wire in the core, but without the need for another high strength synthetic fiber along with it, as is the case with the wire. Of course, an additional high strength synthetic fiber can be used with it, if desired.
One of 'the wrappings 32, 34 is a high strength ~f~ l~ ri F~'3 aramid fiber, such as Kevlar, and the other is a high strength stretched polyethylene fiber, such as Spectra.
In the embodiment shown, the wrap 32 is Kevlar and the wrap 3~ is Spectra, The wraps each have a denier of about 200 to about 1500 arid preferably 200 to 800. The use of a combination of Spectra and Kevlar has been found to provide greater stxength than when two equivalent sized wraps of only one of the two materials are used. The third and outer wrap 36 is of a soft synthetic fiber, such as polyester or nylon, having a denier of about 200 to about 1000. The diameter of the yarn C is between about 0.01 and about 0.05 inch and preferably no greater than 0.03 inch.
A construction D is shown in Figure 0, which is identical to the construction C shown in Figure 2 (identical parts being identified with identical reference numerals, but with a prime) except that an additional pore strand 36 of high strength stretched polyethylene, such as Spectra, or high strength aramid, such as Kevlar, of 200 to 1200 denier is provided.
The depicted glove A is a safety glove especially advantageous for use in 'the food processing industries and is highly cut resistant, abrasive resistant, readily cleanable at high temperatures, comfortable to wear, nice appearing, flexible and relatively non-absorbent.
The last characteristic of the glove is very important 1~ 3~~~~
in 'the food processing industries. The glove is also chemical, abrasive and fatigue resistant, is also resistant to the transfer of heat or cold, is con-formable, does not acquire a set during use, is non-shrinkable, is light in weight, and provides a secure grip.
Gloves knit from yarn described above using high strength liquid crystal polymer fibers, such as Vectran Hs fibers, provide increased cut resistance over yarn that utilizes comparable quantities of aramid fiber and provide improved abrasion resistance. Wash and dry tests show it has substantially less shrinkage than high strength stretched polyethylene.
While the yarn of the invention has been described and shown incorporated into a knit safety glove, it is 'to be understood that the yarn of the present invention can be used to make other fabrics and articles of apparel, safety or otherwise, such as wrist guards, protective sleeves, gaiters, safety aprons, etc. for use in the meat processing and other industries.
While variatians in certain of 'the materials and sizes of the strands employed in preferred-embodiments of the invention herein described can be made, the preferred embodiments of the yarn of the present invention are believed to produce the optimum balance between strength, resistance to cutting, resistance to heat, appearance, comfort, knittability, wearability, cleanabili~ty, and Cast.
From the foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention it will be apparent that the advantages of the invention heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that there have been provided an improved kn:ittable yarn and safety articles of apparel made the:e~ewith having superior qualities. While preferred embodiments of the inven-tion have been described in considerable detail, various modifications or alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cut resistant yarn suitable for machine knitting, comprising a core of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1,500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, the wrapping having a tenacity greater than 10 grams per denier.

2. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 1 wherein the synthetic fiber wrapping has a tensile strength greater than 110,000 pounds per square inch.

3. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 2 including an additional wrapping of synthetic fiber, each wrapping having a denier of between about 200 and 1000.

4. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 1 in which the core has no more than 50 filaments.

5. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 4 15~

wherein the synthetic fiber wrapping has a tensile strength greater than 110,000 pounds per square inch.

6. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim wherein the core filaments have a denier of between and 500.

7. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim wherein the core filaments have a denier of at least 12.

8. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are two wraps, one a high strength aramid fiber and the other a high strength stretched polyethy-lene fiber, the wraps each being of a denier of between about 200 and 1500.

9. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 8 including a third, outer, wrap of polyester or nylon fiber of a denier of between about 200 and 1000, and wherein the diameter of the yarn is no greater than 0.05 inch.

10. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 1 in which the core is a monofilament.

11. A cut-resistant machine-knitted article of apparel at least in part made of yarn comprising a core of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1,500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, the wrapping having a tenacity greater than 10 grams per denier.

12. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 11 wherein the synthetic fiber wrapping has a tensile strength greater than 110,000 pounds per square inch,

13. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 12 including an additional wrapping of synthetic fiber having a denier of between about 200 and 1000.

14. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 11 in which the core has no more than 50 filaments.

15. A cut resistant article as set forth in claim 14 wherein the synthetic fiber wrapping has a tensile strength greater than 110,000 pounds per square inch.

16. A cut resistant article as set forth in claim 15 wherein the core filaments have a denier of between 4 and

17. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 15 wherein the core filaments have a denier of at least 12.

18. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 11 wherein there are two wraps, one a high strength aramid fiber and the other a high strength stretched polyethylene fiber, the wraps each being of a denier of between about 200 and 1500.

19. A cut-resistant article as set forth in claim 18 including a third, outer, wrap of polyester or nylon fiber of a denier of between about 200 and 1000, and wherein the diameter of the yarn is no greater than 0.05 inch.

20. A cut-resistant yarn suitable for machine knitting, comprising a core of flexible fully annealed stainless steel wire 0.002 to 0.010 inch in diameter and one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer multifalament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier of about 900 to 1,200, and two wrappings of synthetic fiber wound about the core, one comprising a high strength liquid crystal polymer multifilament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier of between about 200 and 800, the overall diameter of the yarn being no greater than 0.050 inch.

21. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 20 wherein the core includes an additional strand of high strength synthetic fiber.

22. A cut resistant yarn as set forth in claim 21 wherein the core of high strength liquid crystal polyethylene and it has no more than 50 filaments and the denier of the filaments is between 4 and 500.

23. A cut-resistant yarn suitable for machine knitting, comprising a core having at least one strand of flexible metal wire having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.010 inch, and at least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, said wrapping comprising a high strength synthetic fiber having a tensile strength greater than that of the wire.

24. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 23 wherein said wrapping is a strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber.

25. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 23 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a denier of about 500 to 1200.

26. A curt-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 23 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a tenacity of at least 20 grams per denier.

27. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 24 wherein the wrapping strand is of a denier of from about 200 to about 1500.

28. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 24 including a second wrapping strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber wrapped about the first in an opposite direction.

29. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 28 wherein each wrapping strand has an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier.

30. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 29 wherein the metal wire is fully annealed stainless steel.

31. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 30 having at least two and no more than six strands of said stainless steel wire each having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.006 inch.

32. A cut-resistant yarn as set forth in Claim 30 wherein the overall diameter of the yarn is no greater than 0.050 inch.

33. A cut-resistant machine-knitted article of apparel at least in part made of yarn comprising a core having at least one strand of flexible metal wire having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.010 inch, and at least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1500; and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, said wrapping comprising a high strength synthetic fiber having a tensile strength greater than that of the wires.

34. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 33 wherein said wrapping is a strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber.

35. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 33 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a denier of about 500 to 1200.

36. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 33 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a tenacity of at least 20 grams per denier.

37. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 34 wherein the wrapping strand is of a denier of from about 200 to about 1500.

38. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 34 including a second wrapping strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber wrapped about the first in an opposite direction.

39. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 38 wherein the wrapping strands each have an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier.

40. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 39 wherein the metal wire is fully an-nealed stainless steel.

41. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 40 having at least two and no more than six strands of said stainless steel wire each having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.006 inch.

42. A cut-resistant article of apparel as set forth in Claim 40 wherein the overall diameter of the yarn is no greater than 0.050 inch.

43. A cut-resistant machine-knitted flexible glove at least in part made of yarn comprising a core having one strand of flexible metal wire having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.020 inch, and at least one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier between about 200 and 1500;
and a wrapping of synthetic fiber wound about the core, said wrapping comprising a high strength synthetic fiber having a tensile strength greater than that of the wire.

44. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 43 wherein said wrapping is a strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber.

45. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 43 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a denier of about 500 to 1200.

46. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 43 wherein said one core strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber has a tenacity of at least 20 grams per denier.

4?. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 44 wherein the wrapping strand is of a denier of from about 200 to about 1500.

48. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 44 including a second wrapping strand of multifilament high strength liquid crystal polymer fiber wrapped about the first in an opposite direction.

49. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 48 wherein the wrapping strands each have an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier.

50. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 49 wherein the metal wire is fully annealed stainless steel.

51. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 50 wherein at least two and no more than six strands of said stainless steel wire each having a diameter of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.006.

52. A cut-resistant flexible knitted glove as set forth in Claim 50 wherein the overall diameter of the yarn is no greater than 0.050 inch.

53. A cut-resistant machine-knitted flexible glove made of yarn comprising a core having 2 strands of flexible fully annealed stainless steel wire 0.002 to 0.004 inch in diameter and one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer multifilament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier of about 900 to 1,200, and two wrappings of high strength liquid crystal polymer multifilament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and each of a denier of between about 200 and 800, the overall diameter of the yarn being no greater than 0.050 inch.

54. A cut-resistant machine-knitted article of apparel made of yarn comprising a core having at least one strand of flexible fully annealed stainless steel wire 0.002 to 0.010 inch in diameter and one strand of high strength liquid crystal polymer multifilament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier of about 900 to 1,200, and two wrappings of synthetic fiber wound about the core, one comprising a high strength liquid crystal polymer multifilament fiber having an initial tensile modulus of at least 600 grams per denier and of a denier of between about 200 and 800, the overall diameter of the yarn being no greater than 0.050 inch.