Help me interpret Kansas' vague knife laws please

[Snow]

Well I just picked up at Spyderco Ronin because I love how they look and they've received tons of godo reviews on the forums. I am wanting to carry it concealed so as to avoid unwanted attention and not freak people out. Here are Kansas' knife laws:

"Kansas - Article 42. Crimes Against the Public Safety;
Weapons Control. Section 21-4201. Criminal use of weapons
is knowingly...
(1) Selling, manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, or
carrying any... knife commonly referred to as a
switchblade knife, which has a blade that opens
automatically by hand pressure applied to a button,
spring, or other device in the handle of the knife, or any
knife having a blade that opens or falls or is ejected
into position by the force of gravity or by an outward,
downward or centrifugal thrust or movement...
(2) carrying concealed on one's person, or possessing the
same with intent to use unlawfully against another, a
dagger, dirk... dangerous knife, straight-edged razor,
stiletto, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or
instrument of like character, except that an ordinary
pocket knife with no blade more than four inches in length
shall not be construed to be a dangerous knife, or a
dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument..."

I would venture to say the Ronin would qualify as a dangerous knife, but what knife wouldn't? If I carry it for basic utility and don't act like an idiot, do I have anything to worry about? Can any LEOs chime in?

 

[R.W.Clark]

The law is not vague at all, it reads quite clearly.

It is illegal to conceal on your person any fixed blade knife that can be used for stabbing. It is also illegal to carry concealed any folding knife with a blade longer than four inches.

 

[Planterz]

It's a bit vague, since descriptions like "dagger", "dirk", and "stiletto" aren't defined themselves (I can define them, as I'm sure many of us can, but the law leaves a lot open to interpretation), and the mention of these knives having a certain "character" to them.

I doubt you'd have any trouble with the Ronin as long as you're able to explain that it's a utility knife and not a "deadly weapon" of "nefarious character". The fact that it looks like a large utlity knife shouldn't be too hard to pass off. Especially in Kansas. My mom's family is from Kansas (little podunk town in the middle of nowhere called Larned), and there's hardly a male there that I'd met that didn't have a knife of some sort. Someone might argue that it could be used for stabbing, but unlike a "dagger" or "stiletto", stabbing isn't its sole purpose.

 

[AmadeusM]

(2) carrying concealed on one's person, or possessing the
same with intent to use unlawfully against another, a
dagger, dirk... dangerous knife, straight-edged razor,
stiletto, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or
instrument of like character, except that an ordinary
pocket knife with no blade more than four inches in length
shall not be construed to be a dangerous knife, or a
dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument.."

What if you intend to use it lawfully and indeed wind up using it lawfully, i.e. in self-defense?

 

[Snow]

The law is not vague at all, it reads quite clearly.

It is illegal to conceal on your person any fixed blade knife that can be used for stabbing. It is also illegal to carry concealed any folding knife with a blade longer than four inches.

I think that parts of it are vague. What constitutes a dangerous knife? What is a pocket knife? Is a pocket knife ONLY a folding knife? Is a pocket knife any knife I can carry in my pocket, useful for utility? You mentioned stabbing. Does that mean a sheepsfoot blade will be okay?

Anyway, I decided to return the Ronin because I wasn't satisfied with the sheath and the tactical look of it is a disadvantage in my opinion.