They used to be obtainable from pvp drops, the market was flooded and they were dirt cheap. Later, after they were removed from pvp drop tables, the SOL came out, which greatly increased the demand. Guaranteed price rise + low supply + max 5% rise a day = it has street price.
L bug abuse is okay with you? They are not untradeable only crumble to dust if you try to trade them (you can however stake them...) and bug abuse... Its bug abuse in the same way as getting the grain bag out from that quest, i fail to see how owning a special iron square shield is going to let me single handedly destroy your game while at the same time bringing in huge profit for myself( if someone smuggled these shields out and alched them they might make at least 10k and hour!) I have no problem with it, it's just that sw0rd is a self-proclaimed bot hunter with fanaticism rivaling that of the spanish inquisition. Thought it was ironic that he's so fervently against botting but actually WANTS to abuse a bug.
Actually, of weapons in the same tier, the faster weapon is always better. Rune dagger > R2h/ rune long/ rune baxe? I highly doubt it. Scimitar > R2h/rune long/rune baxe