Help with Missouri Knife Laws

Joined
Dec 3, 2001
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1,536
Question. I have looked through the missouri penal code about weapons. I could find no mention of double edged knives being explicitly illegal. I know that any fixed blade is illegal, but from the looks of things a double edged folder would be legal. Can anyone give me some more definate info and/or let me know if I missed something in the code? Thanks.
 
I don't see a mention of it either. I think you could be in a grey area subject to interpretation. As you know, the relevant code reads:

"(9) "Knife" means any dagger, dirk,
stiletto, or bladed hand instrument that is readily
capable of inflicting serious physical injury or death by
cutting or stabbing a person. For purposes of this
chapter, "knife" does not include any ordinary pocket
knife with no blade more than four inches in length..."

Looking at this conservatively, ANY knife is a "bladed hand instrument..." and therefore considered a weapon, but an EXEMPTION is given to "any ordinary pocket knife..."

You have to ask yourself the question "Will a [jury/LEO] decide that a double-edged knife falls into the category of 'ordinary pocket knife' and therefore qualify it for the exemption?" Remember that most people think an ordinary pocket knife is the 3" stockman with stag scales that Grandpa carried.

That's a judgement call you will have to get comfortable with, but I don't see anything that would make it difinitively illegal per se.
 
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