The Paring Knife
The paring knife is used mainly for detail work on garnishes and for skinning fruits and vegetables such as apples.
It's small size, usually from 2.5 in. to 4 in., allows the user to hold almost the entire knife in his or her hand providing a large amount of control.
The paring knife isn't an essential knife for many people but it can come in handy and is definitely a knife to look at getting if you need something with a bit more finesse than your chef's knife.