These days, the word “design” is on everyone’s lips, because a product’s appearance is one of the key factors that influence whether a customer will buy it. And when it comes to knives—whether they’re intended for sports, hunting, or work—this is, of course, also true.
The design of Mikov knives has been influenced by a number of notable figures, and we regret that not all of their names have been preserved to this day. First and foremost, we’re thinking of the designer of the traditional “Rybička” knife, as well as some other knives through whose production Mikov continues centuries-old knife-making traditions.
But there are also some names we know well. First and foremost is Stanislav Lachman—a man nicknamed the “Josef Lada of Czech design.” The older generation encountered his designs almost daily at every turn; he designed blenders, irons, and vacuum cleaners—and Mikov produced its traditional kitchen knives based on his drawings.
The second prominent figure who significantly influenced the design of Mikov knives is Mr. Vladimír Trojan. He contributed not only to the design of the current, very popular Predator knife, but also to the Hunter knife and many others.
Military knives constitute a chapter of their own in Mikov’s history. The legendary UTON was developed at the Military Research Institute in Slavičín. But behind the others—whether it’s the “War Veteran Project” knife series, the Lubomír Maďarič knives, or the bayonet we manufacture under license for the ColtCZ Group as an accessory for the BREN 2 automatic rifle—stands designer and military instructor Roman Hippík.
Of course, there isn’t enough space in this brief text to list the names of everyone who has designed some of our knives. Nevertheless, we must conclude by mentioning our long-standing collaboration with UMPRUM, specifically with professors Michal Froňek and Jan Němeček, who form the famous duo Olgoj Chorchoj. The special edition Rybička knives for Nespresso and the Pocket set, which has won numerous prestigious design awards including the Red Dot Awards, are products that have forever left their mark not only on the history of Mikov, but also on Czech and global design.