I think in akitchen that is mostly for looks they would be okay but for an actual working kitchen I think in no time the area around them would be worn and discolored

I have seen older kitchens with fingerholes like this and the wood does change color around the hole probably just because of the oils in peoples' skin. And I would imagine if open cupboards with stuff on your hands when you are busy working it would be even worse.

I had a kitchen with routed edge pulls and no hardware on the upper and we ended up opening them with a paper towel so we would not mess up the finish. Like part of making something in the kitchen would be getting a paper towel ready to open cabinets with. We did it, but the people we sold the place to didn't and in relatively short order there were changes around the routed pull. I am not sure that I would want to commit to having to open cabinets with a paper towel for the rest my life either.

Picture help if you want responses.

This type of pull is simply a hole milled into the cabinet fronts. There is no going back.

Besides the problem already mentioned, fingernails will damage and be damaged. Not friendly to anyone who has arthritis in their fingers.

Altogether a bad idea, IMO.