There's a pretty nice set of knives at Costco. They're forged Henckels, made in Spain. It's ten knives including a nice paring knife, an 8" chef's knife, a Granton Edge Japanese cleaver. All of them have a traditional French shape. Light and slim without that heavy bolster. They're probably still OK for heavy work but you probably can't hack through drumsticks. They're $169.99. Not a bad price for ten forged knives. Great set for students. I have no affiliation with Costco or Henckel. Edit: Ah you can find it on costco.com. Type in henckels in the product search box on the top left corner.
It's a nice set for us amateurs. They feel comfortable and fit into a decent size hand. They seem to keep their edge decent with light maintenance. Your right about not hacking thru a drumstick that well...but I bought a pair of Henckles boning shears for that Ahhh...the life of a frugal amateur take care, dan