The hardest thing about servicing cottered cranks is the unavailability of decent cotters in the right diameters.
Correct. Except replace "the unavailability of decent cotters in the right diameters" with "that they suck ass".
I realize that they can work, etc. and yes this is just a bit of devil's advocate....no harm no foul
. I hate any bike job that requires you to reach for a hammer.