Ernest R. Emerson (born March 7, 1955) is an American custom knifemaker, martial artist, and edge-weapons expert. Once known for making "art knives", he later became better known as one of the knifemakers who started the "tactical knife" trend in the early 1990s with his award-winning cutlery. Emerson's knives have been displayed as museum pieces, carried by Navy SEALs, and used by NASA in outer space. His knives have been featured in books and films, making them valuable and popular with collectors.

Emerson's knifemaking career was born from his experience as an engineer and machinist in the aerospace industry coupled with his lifelong study of martial arts. Drawing on his experience as a craftsman and engineer, Emerson has also begun making custom handmade eletric guitars.

Emerson's own personally developed fighting technique, Emerson Combat Systems, has been taught to police officers, elite military units, and civilians worldwide, making Emerson a highly sought-after combatives instructor, author, and noted authority on edged weapons in combat.