Paring knives get their name from the word “pare”, meaning to peel or remove the outer surface. This specific task requires quite a different profile and size to the larger general-purpose knives. Being that most peeling is done in-hand there is little need for proper knuckle clearance on a chopping board. This makes a small and slender blade well suited to this purpose. The edge is usually straighter than a petty making it ideal for precise cuts. Paring knife blades range from 2.5 to 4.5 inches.