Great idea, and great souvenir!
Years ago when Anthony Bourdain wasn't old enough to smoke and I'd never heard of Henkels, or Forschner I bought several knives directly from butchers.
First was a heavy steel clever from a butcher in an Asian market (in San Diego) exactly what he was using. Great for cutting pizza or slaying a deer. Still one of my favorites.
Second were two Forschner "french chef" 10" knives from our local butcher through his supplier. $30 each as I recall AT THE TIME.
Then a friend in Los Angeles had sort of a connection with the folks who sharpen and rent knives to chefs. Got 5 Forschners of various sizes but the blades were seriously thinned out by the constant sharpening. Visualize large paring knives. A very nice piece of equipment.
This was over 30 years ago! and those knives are still my absolute favorites!
Two years ago my mother moved to a retirement home and we found a real treasure: the 30 year old Forschner chef knife that we gave as a gift and it had never been used! Identical to the one we've loved over the years, the blade is at least 1/4 inch wider and 20% thicker than the one we've been using and honing for 30 years. I's really nice to have this brand-new, so to speak, replacement.]
Word of advice: magnetic bars to hold the knives, and remember to point all the cutting edges in the same direction.