Check out this guy in Northern Canadia (joke) who made a birch bark canoe with handtools.
http://picasaweb.google.com/beaverferd/LacDuFlambeauOjibweStyleCanoe#Clear straight grained cedar is a sublime joy to work with. Sublime.
His skill is supreme, that's a lot of work. But with patience, time, space to work, not to mention 63 other canoes in your own personal marina, this is believable. Awesome, but believable.
I liked the coffee and the detail of the "sawtooth" sewing pattern on the bow. I love how that pattern lets you have four 1/4 inch holes every linear inch without the holes all blending together into a slot. Ingenious and beautiful.
How very cool. I love the primitive workmanship.
best thread title in a while.
That is very impressive, and the canoe is beautiful. I guess that's how canoes were made back in the days, huh.