I've had long handled shoe horns, shoe horns made of 'space-age' flexible material and a 'silver' shoe horn.  All have failed to last or, in one case, even work.  Now I'm done.  This mid-size shoe horn is stable when just a little more length to make those morning bend-overs just a little easier.  But the heft (weight) of this shoe horn reinforces that it's going to last and be a family heirloom.