Start giving him his own utensils now, but don't expect him to do anything but throw or bang them. Continue to feed him with a spoon or baby fork, so he sees what their purpose is. I personally like the "take 'n toss" plastic spoons...I've never tossed one. They're very durable, and although I bought new ones for my baby I still have about 5 left from my first child (now six) that she still uses for oatmeal and ice cream. I also bought them baby forks that have a rubber handle but a real metal face and tines, although the ends are rounded.
My 16 month old KNOWS what they're for, and attempts to use them, but usually gives up and reverts to fingers pretty quickly, which is absolutely normal at this age. She can drink from a regular cup fairly well, but if there's more than a few sips in it she will spill.