I agree that using knuckle strikes has some inherent risk. Besides what you mentioned about the obvious evidence that you've been in an altercation, if you split your knuckles and get bacteria in the wound, when you open your hand that bacteria will be drawn deeper into the muscle tissue around the knuckles, increasing the likelihood of infection. All that aside, I consider them as much a part of my arsenal as handswords and palm strikes.
I think we will simply have to agree to disagree on the second part. I think training with gloves when I don't expect to wear them in a fight is counterproductive. You've said that they allow you to "train wiser" and that "you don't have to worry about hitting properly." That is exactly why I don't wear them. I don't feel that not worrying about hitting properly is training wisely. It's a matter of perspective I suppose.
I don't have any problem with other people using wraps and gloves, I just don't feel they are appropriate for my training. In drills where I wear them to protect my partner I feel they are appropriate, but I feel the best way to protect myself is to improve my form. I was taught to practice all my material FASP not FAST. Form, Accuracy, Speed, then Power. If I'm hurting my wrists, then I've skipped ahead and need to back it down. But that's just my position.
-Rob