The name brings together a literary motif and the concept behind Prosta Stal's very first knife. The inspiration came from Ivan Bahrianyi's novel "Tygrolovy" (Tiger Trappers) and the story of its main character — Hryhorii Mnohohrishnyi.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
One day, Sasha, one of the founders of Prosta Stal, said:
"I came up with our first knife. It will be called 'Tygrolov'."
The name idea was born from a specific scene in the novel. Having escaped from a train transporting prisoners to Siberia, Hryhorii Mnohohrishnyi finds himself deep in the taiga. Exhausted and lacking the essential means to survive, he finds a knife.
The significance of "Tygrolovy" for us is not limited to the knife scene alone. The novel explores themes of freedom, persecution, resistance, and human dignity — values that remain profoundly relevant today.
THE NOVEL "TYGROLOVY" WAS WRITTEN IN JUST 14 DAYS!
Ivan Bahrianyi completed the novel in just 14 days in Morshyn while evading the Gestapo. He worked virtually around the clock. After the manuscript was lost, the writer reconstructed the entire text from memory while in Germany. The first version of the novel, originally titled "Zvirolovy" (Beast Trappers), was published in 1944 in the Lviv-based magazine "Vechirnia Hodyna".
Bahrianyi based the story on his own personal experience of persecution and exile in the Far East. In the book, he wove an adventurous narrative together with the harsh realities of Soviet repressions. The happy ending became a crucial creative choice for Ukrainian literature, where protagonists were traditionally rarely granted a chance at victory.
REVENGE OR JUSTICE?
Hryhorii Mnohohrishnyi comes face-to-face with his persecutor — Major Medvyn. Their encounter ends in the death of the enemy. This marks the symbolic triumph of the individual over a repressive regime — an enduring example of good prevailing over evil.
Today, the word "revenge" has taken on a new meaning for Ukrainians. We do not see it as blind hatred, but as a resolute pursuit of justice: to ensure that crimes are never forgotten, the fallen never reduced to mere statistics, and war criminals held accountable. We will not allow our history to be rewritten again.
Over the years, this knife has collected countless stories and found new owners, including many Ukrainian service members.
Examples of the Tygrolov in collaboration with military units.
WHY "TYGROLOV"?
Prosta Stal named this knife "Tygrolov" not merely for the sake of a familiar title. For us, it embodies resilience, willpower, and the ability to endure through the most challenging circumstances. A knife may be an everyday practical tool, but it can simultaneously serve as a catalyst for action and victory! Hryhorii Mnohohrishnyi — the very Tiger Trapper who cannot be broken by force and who will never be prey. That is the exact spirit forged into the essence of this blade.
