The Cold Steel Voyager Medium Tanto covers a wide range of everyday needs -- good for camping, fishing, hunting, and handyman work, although the tanto point traditionally was the mark of a combat blade. If one-handed opening is an essential feature you need, consider the strength of your hand. Extra-stiff locking springs and tight tolerances may mean two hands are needed for opening the Voyager, at least until the knife sees some hard use.
Cold Steel uses very high quality materials in the Voyager series and has created a knife that's definitely strong. VG-10 high carbon stainless steel is a type found in top quality tools as well as high grade kitchen cutlery -- it holds an edge well and stands up to abrasion better than ordinary 420 or 440HC. The extra wide blade of the Voyager has been shaped with a shallow hollow grind that allows easy honing of this hard steel without greatly reducing blade strength.
Cold Steel claims a weight reduction from the use of the textured Zytel handle slabs, as compared to knives built of traditional materials. Total weight even with the 3-inch-long, 3/32-inch-thick blade is only 1.8 ounces, so they weren't kidding. The Voyager qualifies as an ultralight full-sized pocket folder.
As for the stiff action -- knives tend to loosen with use, and operation gets easier as your hands get stronger. My father gave me my first pocketknife when I was five, and after about a year I got it open. Time changes things.
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