Check out this site:
http://www.gamebanshee.com/thewitcher2/walkthrough.php It's the Witcher 2 section of Gamebanshee. For each chapter, there's an introduction section and in it they give the best equipment you can get for that chapter and how you can get it.
They don't mention the Prologue, but in my opinion, the best silver sword is either Moonblade of Aerondight, of course. The best steel sword is a simple Temerian sword that can be found behind a wall breakable with aard in the drowner infested passage into the temple. At base damage of 11-14, it's better than any steel sword you can import from the first game.
Chap 1 silver sword: Witcher's superb silver sword. Craftable from a diagram that you get for completing both the Nekker and Endrega contracts. It has only 1 rune slot, but even without enhancement it's better than Aerondight with it's 3 slots loaded. You need silver ore to make it, but that component is hard to find, you'll probably have to buy some from the craftsman.
Chap 1 steel sword: Jagged blade. You have to buy the diagram and have it crafted.
Chap 1 armour: Kayran carapace armour. Craftable from the diagram you get for killing the Kayran. Don't waste your orens on that one if you're on Iorveth's path, because:
Chap 2 armour Iroveth's Path: Dragon scale armour that you can buy from an elf in the merchant's section before the gate once the War Council is done. There's also armor of Loc Muinne which is apparently equivalent, but you can get the Dragon scale pretty much at the beginning of the chapter. On Roche's path, you only get the best armour when you're ready to cross the mist: Zireael's armour.
Chap 2 silver sword, Roche's path: Blood sword. Find it in the tunnels that let you sneak into Vergen. On Iorveth's path, I don't think you can find it, but you only go into these tunnels at the very end of the chapter anyway. Best choice is to craft yourself a blue or red robust meteorite sword depending on you experience path (30-33 base damage). Yellow does less damage.
Chap 2 steel sword, Poison Zerrikanian Saberra, both paths. You can buy it right at the start of the chapter from the Mysterious Merchant. If you've got patch 1.2, he should be there in chapters 1 and 2. In addition, on Iorveth's path, you can get an even better steel sword for completing Baltimore's nightmare sidequest: Gwyhyr. In my opinion, Gwyhyr is the most GORGEOUS sword in the game (wavy blade).
Chap 3 armour: if you're a spell caster armour of Ysgith, found in the Loc Muinne sewers, the culmination of the Mystic River multi-chapter quest. If you're a swordsman, Vran armour, crafted from the armour of Ysgith and Vran armour enhancements.
Chap 3 steel sword: Caerme. You get the diagram by looting one of the chests during the gargoyle contract. Or Forgotten Vran sword, that you can loot from Dethmold if you go with Roche to rescue Anais.
Chap 3 silver sword: Addan Deith, looted from chest during the gargoyle contract (not the same chest as above) or Zerrikanterment but you need 1x dragon scales to have it crafted and the only way to get those is to help Philippa, or to kill the Operator during the From a Bygone Era quest which is, apparently, a very tough fight.