As the name suggest, a boning knife is used to de-bone meat, be it animal or fish. Boning knives are not usually as thin, sharp, or delicate as a fillet knife and tend to have less flexibilty. If you are on a budget, or a minimalist, a fillet knife would be the knife to get. This knife can be used for both bones and skin, whereas a boning knife doesn’t bring the same precision and isn’t ideal for skinning.