Hand-made wooden spoons will generally last a very long time, as long as they are cared for. They require more maintenance than their metal or plastic cousins, but they are much nicer to use, will not damage non-stick surfaces (unless you are really heavy-handed), and the environmental credentials of the raw material, when correctly sourced, is excellent.

However, they will have a shortened working life if not cared for - and the biggest issue is moisture. Wood absorbs and releases the water that it comes into contact with, swelling when wet and shrinking when dry. Some woods are more susceptible to damage, but over time, swelling and shrinking can lead to splitting. This is not a complete disaster - I have several older spoons that have split - but it is obviously not desirable. Sometimes, shrinkage cracks that were not noticeable when the spoon was made suddenly cause it to split or rough edges to appear; the lack of uniformity in wood is one of its bonuses, but the resulting unpredictability can be a real nuisance.

I am happy to take a look at any faults that appear in my spoons soon after purchase; but do look after them, because I can only provide a limited guarantee!