Some Legends Never Stay Buried.
There was a time in the American West when a man's reputation was measured by his word, his courage, and his willingness to stand his ground. It was the age of gunslingers, outlaws, lawmen, and hard men who lived by their own rules. From the dusty streets of Tombstone to the lonely graves of Boot Hill, the Old West was a place where danger was never far away and survival often depended on what a man carried at his side. That same rugged, uncompromising spirit is what inspired the 2026 Emerson Knife of the Year — the Coffin Tanto. With its distinctive coffin-shaped handle, aggressive blade profile, and unmistakable Emerson character, this knife looks like something that would have been right at home in the pocket of a frontier gambler, a notorious outlaw, or a hard-bitten lawman. It's a knife with attitude, a knife with history in its soul, and a knife that makes no apologies for what it is.
The Coffin Tanto is built around one of my most recognizable designs, the Emerson Tanto, featuring a 3.6-inch blade of premium CPM S35VN steel with my signature chisel grind. The angular, powerful blade delivers the strength, cutting performance, and rugged dependability that have defined Emerson knives for decades. Measuring 8.5 inches overall, the Coffin Tanto combines serious working-knife capability with a distinctive coffin-shaped handle that gives the knife both its name and its Old West personality. The design is bold, purposeful, and unmistakably Emerson. There's nothing delicate or ornamental about this knife. Like the men who rode the frontier, it's tough, straightforward, and built to get the job done when the chips are down.
I've designed a lot of knives over the years, and I can tell you that every once in a while, one comes along that just feels right the moment you pick it up. The Coffin Tanto is one of those knives. I personally like this knife so much that it's become one of my favorite choices for everyday carry. I love the way it feels in my hand, the way it carries, and the combination of its classic coffin-handle styling with that unmistakable Emerson Tanto blade. There's something about it that takes me right back to the stories of the Old West, when men lived hard, rode fast, and sometimes ended up with their names carved into a wooden marker on Boot Hill. The Coffin Tanto captures a little of that outlaw spirit, and that's exactly what I wanted. It's a knife I genuinely enjoy carrying, a knife I'm proud to put my name on, and one that I believe deserves the title Emerson Knife of the Year for 2026.
— Ernest Emerson
| Blade Length | 3.6 |
| Weight | 5.4 oz |
| Blade Material | S35VN - Sharp |
| Blade Thickness | 0.125 in |
| Grind Type | Chisel Grind Tanto |
| Handle Material | G-10 |
| Hardness | Minimum: 59 , Maximum: 61 |
| Lock Material | Titanium |
| Overall Length | 8.5 in |
This steel is best suited for utility and camp applications and of course, as an everyday carry, (EDC). S35VN is all about taking that strength a step further. Built for resilience and sharpness. It's infused with vanadium and niobium, making it easier to sharpen in the field without compromising its durability. S35VN is more corrosion resistant than 154CM. And even at a higher Rockwell hardness, it can handle hard use abuse without cracking or chipping. This is the steel you can rely on when you need both a razor sharp edge and the ability to perform faithfully for almost every chore you have to tackle. It's for those who won't settle for anything less than top tier performance.
S35VN C 1.40, Mn .40, Si .40, CR 14.00, Va 3.00, Mo 2.00, NB .50.
Emerson Knife handles are made from G-10, a glass filled epoxy laminate. Some models are available with different colors of G-10.
They don’t get hung up on anything and they cut through seat belts like crazy.
Maintenance:
For serrated blades, each tooth must be sharpened individually using a tapered rod to maintain the factory bevel. Precision and consistency are key to keeping your serrated edge performing at its best.
Customers often ask why our knives are only sharpened on one side. The simple answer is that it's intentional. After over 30 years of testing and research, Emerson developed the single-side edge to create an extremely sharp, durable, easy-to-sharpen blade ideal for hard-duty use. While most conventional knives are sharpened on both sides, once you try our design, you'll find it cuts exceptionally well, stays sharp longer, and is easier to maintain—because you're dealing with one edge, not two.
Interestingly, the sharpest piece of steel in your house isn't your kitchen knife or pocket knife—it's the razor you shave with every morning. Razors are sharpened on only one side, just like an Emerson Knife.
The flipper mechanism adds a fast, intuitive opening option, using a tab that transitions into a finger guard when the blade is deployed. Ball-bearing washers at the pivot help ensure smooth, efficient motion, complementing the knife’s multiple deployment methods.
The Thumb Button is there so that you may open the knife single handedly. Specifically with your thumb.
Ernest Emerson started making custom knives in his garage in 1979. He rapidly rose to prominence as a knife maker due in equal parts to his expertise as a craftsman, (tool and die maker), his artists eye for design, and his practical experience as one of the world’s most sought-after and respected hand-to-hand combat instructors.
Emerson’s work has been featured and exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Museum. There are only a handful of living artists who can make that claim. As an instructor in hand-to-hand combat and edged weapon skills, Mr. Emerson has taught the most elite warriors on earth, from the US Navy SEALs to the Guards of Parliament in London and everywhere in between.
He is the author of scores of articles, books, and videos regarding tactics, training and combat. As one of the most sought after instructors in the world he is in high demand for seminars and lectures to civilian, military and law enforcement agencies.
He is an inducted member of The Martial Arts Hall of Fame, along with such venerable names as Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. In fact he is the only knife maker known who also owns and operates his own training facility, the world-class “Black Shamrock Combat Academy Gym” in Los Angeles, California.
At a time when knives are designed by graphic artists and 22-year-olds who never did more than use a knife to sharpen a pencil, the name Emerson and the company Emerson Knives stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Note: We do not process or ship orders on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays.
Membership Orders: May require an additional 1–2 days for document preparation.
Important: We will not refund or replace shipments marked as delivered by the carrier.
At this time, we do not ship to locations outside the US, including US territories (e.g., Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands).
Freight Forwarding Addresses:
We reserve the right to refuse, cancel, or hold any order shipping to a known freight forwarding company, package forwarding service, mail forwarding facility, export agent, or similar third-party forwarding address.
Orders shipped to freight forwarding addresses are placed entirely at the customer’s sole risk. If a freight forwarding address is used and the order is processed and shipped, once the package has been marked as delivered by the carrier to the address provided at checkout, we are not responsible for loss, theft, damage, misdelivery, delays, missing contents, customs issues, or any other issues that occur after delivery. Orders shipped to freight forwarding addresses are not eligible for refunds, replacements, reshipment, insurance claims, chargeback exceptions, or credits under any circumstances.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
We have a 7-day return policy, which means you have 7 days after receiving your item to request a return. An 8% restocking fee will be charged for items that are returned.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
To start a return, you can contact us at
info@emersonknives.com. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address:
Emerson Knives, Inc.
1234 254th Street
Harbor City, CA 90710
If your return is accepted, we’ll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
You can always contact us for any return question at
info@emersonknives.com.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalized items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). We also do not accept returns for hazardous materials, flammable liquids, or gases. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.
Digital downloads are also non-refundable.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at info@emersonknives.com.
