UTILITY KNIFE In kitchen usage, a utility knife is between a chef's knife and paring knife in size, about 10 cm and 18 cm (4 and 7 inches) in length. The utility knife has declined in popularity, and is at times derided as filler for knife sets. This decline is attributed to the knife being neither fish nor fowl: compared to a chef's knife, it is too short for many food items, has insufficient clearance when used at a cutting board, and is too fragile for heavier cutting tasks, while compared to a paring knife, which is used when cutting between one's hands, (carving a radish), the added length offers no benefit and indeed makes control harder in these fine tasks. Some designs have a serrated blade. The term "utility knife" is often used for a non-kitchen cutting tool with a short blade which can be replaced, or with a strip of blades w...