I've been paddling with a Greenland Paddle for three seasons. It's ironic, but all the abrasion occurs along the blades not on the tips. It's usually from bridging the paddle across the kayak and on rocks etc, getting in and out. Even in pool sessions, I scratch the blades getting in and out of the boat. I make laminated paddles and only epoxy coat them. The tips don't take much of a beating on mine.

I also use cedar with some spruce and mahagany. The cedar is soft and I have some indentations along the blades, even with the epoxy coatings. I just assume that it's meant to be used.