F. Dick Premier Plus 3.5-inch Paring Knife

The Premier Plus paring knife is small and sharp, made for peeling, small cutting jobs and decorating. Its 3.5-inch blade is the size cooks use in the hand for coring and trimming.

Paring work happens close to the fingers, so control matters more than length. The short, forged blade stays rigid when it is pushed into a tough apple core or the stem of a tomato. F. Dick has been forging kitchen knives since the 1800s, and this small knife carries the same construction as the larger Premier Plus blades.

A paring knife also finishes small tasks at the stove, such as scoring a sausage or cutting a lemon for a final squeeze. Keep one near the range so the chef’s knife stays at the board.

A blue-handled version suits color-coded kitchens, and the Premier Plus 4.5-inch paring knife adds reach for grapefruit and small slicing. For tourné cuts, the Premier Plus bird’s beak peeler is the better shape.