The only blades warranting a high price are those that are, like, handmade by a blacksmith or something.
From knives to full-blown swords, all this boutique stuff is no different from Mall kiosk katanas and shit that have been around for decades. The difference is simply that they are a little better engineered and made from better materials. But it's still just a big steel blank cut into a knife shape. Nothing special.
If I thought that zombies were a possible thing, I would say that I hope they descend upon the 'zombie industry' first and eat what is left of those people's pathetic brains.
Naw zombie tools does use good spring tool steel and they do a forging process. No, it's not the completely hand-forged process that usually commands the higher prices on some of the sword pieces I personally own. However, the swords made by zombie tools are mall junk either. They are fully functioning and very good quality weaponry. They will last, hold a sharp edge, and are constructed very well. They can be used in a battle sense, meaning that you can solidly swing the weapons around and not have to worry about them falling apart. They are good weapons in that sense.
But as I said, they are massed produced, and they are made from steel blanks. They are very good solid steel blanks that aren't that easy to work with, but they aren't forged from scratch. Which means their price is a little too high in my opinion.
For example, take this italian falchion made by Windlass.
http://www.museumreplicas.com/p-242-italian-falchion.aspx
Under $200 and as good as quality as zombie tool weapons. Can be found for cheaper on deals and sale when it goes around. Cheapest at around $120 I think I once saw it. Compare that with the "Hellion" which would be similar enough to compare for prices from zombie tools.
http://www.zombietools.net/shop/hellion/
The Hellion is priced out to $315 and they don't go on sale. You are paying, in some cases, almost $200 more for something that came from the zombie tools maker. There are lots more examples than that though.
Worse would be the Vakra. A kukri blade made of of 5160 tool steel. Nice steel, but for a smaller blade like that, nothing special. It's priced out at $280 from them.
But then compare that to this Kabar kukri from Amazon for $50. Which is what I have.
http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-2-1249-...ds=kabar+kukri
1085 steel. Which is high carbon steel than 5160. The other difference is the tool steel has a bit more flexibility to it, but in a weapon that short, that flexibility is wasted as it is meant to be a chopper, hence the additional thickness of the weapon. The kukri is designed to be a type of hatchet to clear brush or in warfare, limbs. It's meant to chop and thus needs to be sturdy to do so. Which is why the 1085 steel makes more sense than the 5160 steel. In fact the 1085 steel is arguably harder to work with, although it is cheaper to make due to demand for it being more common. That and sheets can be made bigger with 1085 steel than 5160.
So arguable for the job the Kabar kukri is a better weapon. It's also only $50. The Zombie Tools Vakra Kukri is $280 and is an over priced decorative piece. I'd pay up to $100 for one, but not a penny more. Which is why I don't have one and personally don't care. If the Vakra was a limited run (which they have done a few limited different Vakra designs in the past) then I can see a bit of value there from a collectors standpoint. But since the Vakra is massed produced there isn't any inherent collector value to the piece. I have limited one of a kind swords worth thousands by other collectors as reference so I know what I'm speaking about in regards to this.