I am making a pair of socks w/size 2 Susan Bates circs. I have noticed that one of the needles is very sharp and the other is very dull. Is this a quality control issue, or is it on purpose?

I don't find it that helpful. If the sharp needle is in the right hand, K2tog is easy but SSK is hard. Knitting is easy, unknitting is hard. Plus, I made the entire first sock with the dull needle in my right hand, which was a bit annoying because I knew I would have been able to knit faster had I had it the other way.

I would rather they both have the same tip (both be sharp, actually).

That's probably a quality control issue, but then again, the only Susan Bates needle I have is a size 6 Silverado. I don't think they're supposed to be like that.

I have several sets of the smaller Susan Bates circs and dpn's. They are pretty sharp (not the "help I need a band-aid" sharp)but, sharp so maybe you just got a bad one. Their bigger sizes of silvalume circs (11 and up)are not sharp at all and are pretty hard to knit with.