I used to be really into flintknapping, but never made anything that was really beautiful like some of the artifacts that you can find in a plowed field. I could never "thin" my points down without breaking them. I made a nice looking hickory selfbow one time, but it broke after just 100 shots or so. I suspect I messed up the back of the bow when I was tillering it.

I tried my hand at making arrows too. I found steam bending wood very hard and I never mastered making hide glue. My pine pitch glue was good, but hard to work with. My turkey feather fletching was effective, but inconsistant.

I've tried many primitive skills but always came up short of something fully functional. About the only ones I continue to practice is tanning hides and other leather work (those actually turn out good for me). I will be saving the sinew and hides of the deer I get this year. Maybe for a winter project I'll try to make another bow if I can find some seasoned wood.