In no particular order:
1)
Assisted openers--honestly, how lazy are we that we can't just use our thumbs a little bit more? I can open most thumb stud/hole knives as fast or faster. As far as I'm concerned it's just one more thing to get gummed up or break. If you're gonna' be lazy at least use a flipper.
2)
Serrations on knives that aren't meant for cutting rope. ...Or other similar tasks. Honestly they just rip things to shreds and bind up on material. Gimme' a plain edge.
3)
The myth that serrations are hard or impossible to sharpen. --this comment usually comes from the old duffer who's never used anything other than a rectangular stone...without realizing that the edges of said stone can be used to sharpen them without any change in technique...you just have to tilt it at an angle.
4)
Tanto tips. --First off, tantos don't have tips like that. At all. But beyond the misnomer all they do is limit functionality (unless you need a paint scraper with you at all times) and the supposed strength gained in the design is iffy at best. Often times the blade stock at the tip is very thin and will snap the same as any other geometry. And I've never heard of a tip snapping vertically...
5)
Chisel grinds--I'd like to hear someone come up with any advantage this would have outside of sushi knives or carpenter's axes. They simply don't belong on normal knives.
6)
Coatings--even on carbon steel. I just don't like them. I love a nice patina though.
7)
Liner/frame locks--again, I just don't like them. Doesn't stop me from buying the occasional model that has them, but it's a bit of a turnoff.
8)
Knives that have an inflated sense of self-worth--For a good example of this, see CS's higher-end folders. I'm just not going to pay that much for a piece of AUS-8 (which is a nice enough steel but not worth what they're asking) and aluminum that scratches the second you look at it wrong. If a knife is not a good value for the price I will not buy it, regardless of how nice it may or may not be.
9)
The AutoLAWKS system--Way for a company to fix what ain't broken. Not to mention that you can't just take the spring out of it. It's loose then. Fail.
10)
Bead-blasted finishes--Seriously? It kind of defeats to point of making a knife out of stainless if you're just going to do a stupid thing like that to it. I've seen knives made of highly stain-resistant steel rust in someones pocket because it had been bead blasted. It decreases corrosion resistance and makes the blade a real b*** to clean.
11)
Adjustable pivots that aren't D-shaped-- Honestly it's just a pain to have to dig out
two torx drivers just to take the darn pivot apart.
12)
Recurved blades--Another personal preference thing. They aren't for everyone and they sure aren't for me.
13)
Butter knives with stiff blades--Yes, really. I can't stand them. The whole point of a butter knife is to spread things. So why make it inflexible? This is possibly the biggest frustration for me since (to the best of my knowledge) there isn't really much "high-performance silverware" on the market. Even ritzy butter knives tend to be rigid.
Well I feel a lot better now! Whew!
