For over 400 years the great craftsmen of Bulgaria have toiled to make beautiful and functional handmade knives. In this Balkan country blessed with bountiful wild life, hunters in the deep forests of the Balkan mountain and fisherman in the legendary streams of Plovdiv have depended for their survival on the best of handmade tools.

The results of this great heritage are now available for the first time in the United States. Nikolai Spassov, the latest in this centuries' old line of artisans, has recently agreed to provide American sportsmen a small number of his individually designed knives. Every piece has a hand-forged, stainless steel blade (some with serrated spine), a specialist sculpted deer horn handle with a stainless butt, a belt-looped leather sheath bearing unique Bulgarian folk carvings and the artist's own stamp to authenticate the maker, the country of origin, and the year it was made.

No two of Spassov's creations are alike. While some of the designs lend themselves more toward the demands of hunting and others are crafted primarily with fishing in mind, each is completely utilitarian with a blade that will stand up under the most demanding of circumstances and retain an edge only old country artisans know how to hone. The knives handling balance is unparalleled by even the most sought after products generally available in the United States.

Because many European collectors of fine knives have standing orders for a new Spassov knife each year, it is not known how long U.S. sportsmen will have access to these knives without having to travel to mister Spassov's Balkan workshop. For those sportsmen who appreciate unique design and demand quality workmanship, we suggest contacting SVCON for more information. At the present time, the strength of the US dollar against the Balkan county currencies make owning a Spassov knife surprisingly affordable opportunity.