The Wüsthof Gourmet 4.5” paring knife is a small all-purpose knife of with a plain edge and is ideal for all small cutting tasks in the kitchen. After a chef’s knife, the paring knife is the most important knife in a chef’s toolkit. Best suited for cutting hand-held items, a paring knife can peel an apple, remove the stem from a strawberry, and take the eyes out of a potato without breaking a sweat. The paring knife is also great for mincing garlic on a cutting board. It can even de-vein shrimp with ease. For those with an artistic flair who enjoy fun and interesting fruit and vegetable platters, the paring knife makes a perfect garnishing tool for carving fine and intricate patterns on a variety of foods. Like the chef’s knife, the paring knife is a kitchen essential.