This passage in TTT is rather puzzling, seeing how Mordor was desolate at the time of the making of the swords:
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Originally Posted by The departure of Boromir, TTT
They were borne by the hobbits. Doubtless the Orcs despoiled them, but feared to keep the knives, knowing them for what they are: work of Westernesse, wound about with spells for the bane of Mordor
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I found another interesting quote in the Reader's companion; it sheds more light on this
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Originally Posted by Chapter 6: THE BATTLE OF THE PELENNOR FIELDS, page 564, LotR Companion, by Hammond and Scull
On 18 April and 6 May 1963, Tolkien wrote to Anneke C. Kloos-Adriaansen and P. Kloos that the incidents of the witch-king in Book I, Chapter 12, and of Merry's sword in the present chapter:
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were intended to be integrated with the entire mytho-historical background, events in an agelong war. Frodo received his wound from the witch-king under Wheatertop, the bulwark of the ancient fortified line made by the Numenoreans against his kingdom; Meriadoc's dagger was taken from the gravemounds of the same people. It was made by smiths who knew all about Sauron and his servants, and made in prophetic vision or hope of ending just as it did. [spelling sic, courtesy of Christopher Tolkien]
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