In The Long Dark, you're on your own in the frozen wilderness, and crafting is how you turn what you find into clothing, tools, bandages and bullets. Every crafting recipe asks for certain materials and a certain place to work, whether that's your own hands, a lit fire, a work bench or a forge. Once you know which station a recipe needs, the whole system starts to make sense.
Showing 60 of 97 items.
Crafting Station
Anywhere
Acorn Grounds
Ground acorns used to brew Acorn Coffee.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Acorns (Cooked); or 1 × Acorns (Cooked - Large Portion)
- Tool Requirement
- Heavy Hammer
- Crafting Time
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Acorns
Shelled acorns ready to cook or grind into grounds.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Acorns
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 10 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Acorns (Large Portion)
Four shelled acorns grouped into one cooking portion.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Prepared Acorns
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 1 minute
- Availability
- Base game
Bandage
Two cloth bandages for stopping blood loss.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 2
- Materials
- 1 × Cloth
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 10 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Carved Bear Figurine
A small carved wooden bear for a safehouse.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cedar Firewood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Carved Cougar Figurine
A small carved wooden cougar for a safehouse.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cedar Firewood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Carved Wolf Figurine
A small carved wooden wolf for a safehouse.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cedar Firewood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Decorative Art
A long rectangular framed mountain scene made from wood pieces.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Fir Firewood; 1 × Cedar Firewood; 1 × Reclaimed Wood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 5 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Decorative Art
A round framed mountain scene with trees made from wood pieces.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Fir Firewood; 1 × Cedar Firewood; 1 × Reclaimed Wood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 5 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Decorative End Table
A small wooden end table for a safehouse.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 6 × Cedar Firewood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 5 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Fishing Tackle
A hook and line for ice fishing or mending clothing.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Hook; 1 × Line
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 10 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Furniture Workbench
A portable station for building safehouse furniture.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 10 × Cedar Firewood
- Tool Requirement
- Woodworking Tools
- Crafting Time
- 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Improvised Down Bedroll
A warmer bedroll made with ptarmigan down.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Bedroll; 3 × Cloth; 10 × Ptarmigan Down
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 3 to 6 hours
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Improvised Hand Wraps
Cloth hand coverings that add a little warmth.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Cloth
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 37 minutes to 1 hour
- Availability
- Base game
Improvised Head Wrap
A cloth head covering for extra warmth.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Cloth
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 30 to 48 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Improvised Insulation
A down-filled base layer that adds warmth.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Cloth; 5 × Ptarmigan Down
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 1 hour with a Sewing Kit; 2 hours with Fishing Tackle
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Old Man's Beard Wound Dressing
A lichen dressing used to treat infection risk.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 3 × Old Man's Beard Lichen
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Birch Bark
Dried birch bark for brewing restorative tea.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Birch Bark
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 5 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Burdock
A prepared root for brewing burdock tea.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Burdock Root
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Reishi Mushrooms
Prepared mushrooms for brewing medicinal tea.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Reishi Mushroom
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Prepared Rose Hips
Prepared rose hips for brewing medicinal tea.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 24 × Rose Hip
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Tinder Plug
Small tinder for starting a fire.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 2 or 4
- Materials
- 1 × Newsprint (yields 2); or 1 × Newsprint Roll (yields 4); or 1 × Stack of Papers (yields 2); or 1 × Stick (yields 2)
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 5 to 10 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Torch
A hand-held firebrand made from a stick, cloth, and lantern fuel.
- Station
- Anywhere
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 3 × Stick; 1 × Cloth; 0.10 L × Lantern Fuel
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Crafting Station
Active Fire
Fire Hardened Arrow
Three wooden arrows with hardened points for small game.
- Station
- Active Fire
- Yield
- 3
- Materials
- 5 × Stick; 5 × Crow Feather
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 22 to 45 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Crafting Station
Work Bench
Arrow Shaft
Three cured shafts used to make arrows.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 3
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Birch Sapling
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 30 to 60 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Bear Hide Rug
A heavy animal-hide rug for a safehouse floor.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Deer Hide; 1 × Cured Black Bear Hide; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- Quality Tools
- Crafting Time
- 8 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Bear Skin Bedroll
A warm bedroll made from bear hide, cloth, and gut.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Cured Black Bear Hide; 5 × Cloth; 6 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 17 hours 30 minutes to 35 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Bearskin Coat
A warm coat made from bear hides.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Cured Black Bear Hide; 4 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 30 to 60 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Bushcraft Bow
A trader-unlocked bow made from green birch and gut.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Green Birch Sapling; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 5 hours
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Cougar Hide Wrap
A head wrap made from cougar hide.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Cougar Hide; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 11 hours 40 minutes to 18 hours 40 minutes
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Deerskin Boots
Warm boots made from deer hide.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Cured Deer Hide; 4 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 12 hours 30 minutes to 20 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Deerskin Pants
Warm pants made from deer hide.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 3 × Cured Deer Hide; 4 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 12 hours 30 minutes to 20 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Fishing Lure (Acorns)
An acorn lure that improves rare-fish catches.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Crow Feather; 1 × Acorns
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 25 to 50 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Fishing Lure (Revolver Shell Casing)
A shell-casing lure that improves rare-fish catches.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Crow Feather; 1 × Revolver Shell Casing
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 25 to 50 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Fishing Lure (Wire Bundle)
A wire lure with a strong rare-fish bonus.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Crow Feather; 1 × Wires
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 25 to 50 minutes
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Fishing Tip-Up
An automatic ice-fishing trap that catches fish while placed in a hole.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 2 × Stick; 1 × Cloth; 1 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Fishing Tackle
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 20 to 40 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Hook
Three scrap-metal hooks for fishing tackle.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 3
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 10 to 20 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Improvised Crampons
Handmade crampons that improve footing on steep, icy ground.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Scrap Metal; 2 × Cured Leather
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 2 to 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Line
Two lines made from cured gut.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 2
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 15 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Moose-Hide Cloak
A warm outer layer made from moose hide.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Moose Hide; 4 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 16 hours 40 minutes to 33 hours 20 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Moose-Hide Satchel
A moose-hide pouch that increases carry capacity.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Moose Hide; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 10 to 16 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Rabbitskin Hat
A warm hat made from rabbit pelts.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 3 × Cured Rabbit Pelt; 1 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 36 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Rabbitskin Mitts
Warm mitts made from rabbit pelts.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Cured Rabbit Pelt; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Sewing Kit, or Fishing Tackle.
- Crafting Time
- 5 to 8 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Simple Arrow
A bow arrow assembled from a shaft, arrowhead, and feathers.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Arrowhead; 1 × Arrow Shaft; 3 × Crow Feather
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 45 to 90 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Simple Fishing Lure
A scrap-metal lure that improves rare-fish catches.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 15 to 30 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Snare
A simple trap for catching rabbits.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Gut; 1 × Reclaimed Wood
- Tool Requirement
- Optional: Simple Tools or Quality Tools; crafting also works without them.
- Crafting Time
- 15 to 30 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Survival Bow
A handmade bow built from cured maple and gut.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Maple Sapling; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 5 to 10 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Travois
A drag sled for hauling supplies across snow.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Deer Hide; 2 × Cured Gut; 4 × Cured Maple Sapling
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 3 to 6 hours
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Wolfskin Coat
A warm coat made from wolf pelts.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Cured Wolf Pelt; 4 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 25 to 50 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Wolfskin Hat
A warm hat made from wolf pelt and gut.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cured Wolf Pelt; 2 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 16 hours 40 minutes
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Wolfskin Pants
Warm pants made from wolf pelts.
- Station
- Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 4 × Cured Wolf Pelt; 3 × Cured Gut
- Tool Requirement
- One of: Hunting Knife, or Improvised Knife, or Cougar Claw Knife, or Survival Knife, or Hatchet, or Improvised Hatchet.
- Crafting Time
- 29 hours 10 minutes
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Crafting Station
Forge
Arrowhead
Two forged metal points for making simple arrows.
- Station
- Forge
- Yield
- 2
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Metal
- Tool Requirement
- Heavy Hammer
- Crafting Time
- 1 hour
- Availability
- Base game
Cougar Claw Knife
A hunting-knife variant fitted with a cougar claw.
- Station
- Forge
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Cougar Claw; 3 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Cured Leather
- Tool Requirement
- Heavy Hammer
- Crafting Time
- 3 hours 40 minutes
- Availability
- Tales from the Far Territory
Improvised Hatchet
A basic hatchet forged from scrap metal and cloth.
- Station
- Forge
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 5 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Cloth
- Tool Requirement
- Heavy Hammer
- Crafting Time
- 4 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Improvised Knife
A basic knife forged from scrap metal and cloth.
- Station
- Forge
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 3 × Scrap Metal; 1 × Cloth
- Tool Requirement
- Heavy Hammer
- Crafting Time
- 3 hours
- Availability
- Base game
Crafting Station
Ammunition Work Bench
Can of Gunpowder
A can of black powder used to reload ammunition.
- Station
- Ammunition Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Stump Remover; 1 × Dusting Sulfur; 2 × Charcoal
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 30 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Revolver Ammunition
A single cartridge for a revolver, loaded at the Ammunition Workbench.
- Station
- Ammunition Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Bullet; 1 × Revolver Shell Casing; 0.01 kg × Can of Gunpowder
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 5 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Rifle Ammunition
A single cartridge for a rifle, loaded at the Ammunition Workbench.
- Station
- Ammunition Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Bullet; 1 × Rifle Shell Casing; 0.01 kg × Can of Gunpowder
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 5 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Noisemaker
A loud explosive used to distract wildlife.
- Station
- Ammunition Work Bench
- Yield
- 1
- Materials
- 1 × Recycled Can; 1 × Cloth; 0.10 kg × Can of Gunpowder
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 30 minutes
- Availability
- Base game
Crafting Station
Ammunition Forge
Bullet
Six cast bullets for making ammunition.
- Station
- Ammunition Forge
- Yield
- 6
- Materials
- 1 × Scrap Lead
- Tool Requirement
- -
- Crafting Time
- 1 hour
- Availability
- Base game
How Crafting Works in The Long Dark
Crafting is how you make the things you need out of materials you gather yourself. Almost nothing is handed to you, so nearly every ingredient has to come from the land or from taking apart things you find.
To start a craft, open the crafting menu from the survival menu. Every tool and ingredient has to be in your inventory before you begin, so it pays to gather everything first. You also need enough light to work, so plan your crafting around daylight or a light source.
Where to Craft: Anywhere, Fire, Work Bench and Furniture Work Bench
Some recipes need no station at all. Fishing tackle, bandages, wound dressings, tinder plugs and torches can be made wherever you happen to be, which matters when you're far from shelter. A lit fire is the next option, though only a short list of items can be made there, and the fire-hardened arrow is one of them.
Most of the recipes that keep you alive need a work bench. It has a vice and comes in metal and wood versions, and it's where you make clothing, bedrolls, arrows and bows. You use the right tool for the job at the bench, such as a knife for bedrolls and bows or a sewing kit for fur clothing.
The furniture work bench is a separate station for furniture and decorations, and it only works with woodworking tools. Most of these pieces are about making a safehouse feel lived in, so they can wait until the basics are covered.
Forging Metal Tools at the Forge
Forging is how you make metal tools, such as the improvised knife and improvised hatchet. Every forge recipe needs a heavy hammer in your inventory, along with scrap metal and cloth. Forges are rare in the world, so a trip to one takes some planning.
Gather everything before you light the forge, since it burns fuel while you search for something you forgot. The fire also has to hold through the whole recipe, because the forge stops working once its fire goes out.
Ammunition Work Bench and Ammunition Forge
Ammunition has its own two stations, and you'll only find them in Bleak Inlet and Blackrock. The ammunition work bench turns dusting sulfur into a Can of Gunpowder, and it can also craft Noisemakers.
The ammunition forge sits beside it and casts bullets from scrap lead for the Hunting Rifle and Revolver. It casts as long as the forge is lit and fueled. Unlike a regular forge, it doesn't need extra heat to cast bullets.
Gunsmithing skill grows at these two stations and through research books, so they're the place to build it up if you use guns. Making Noisemakers doesn't raise that skill, but making the gunpowder for them does.
Curing Materials and Saving Time on Crafting
Some materials can't be used straight from the animal or plant. Pelts, hides, fresh gut and saplings must be cured first, and curing happens indoors, where the items dry over days or weeks. You can check how far along an item is just by looking at it, since it shows a percentage.
Good tools speed things up. Higher-quality knives, hatchets and sewing kits can cut crafting time, so upgrade them when you can. Improvised versions can handle everyday jobs, which leaves your better tools free for trips. Taking apart old shoes and shirts also gives you cured leather and cloth.
Which Crafting Recipes Matter Most
Early on, clothing matters most, because staying warm is what keeps you alive. Most fur clothing needs a sewing kit or fishing tackle, so get one of those first. Bandages and wound dressings come next, since injuries are one of the quickest ways to get into trouble.
Tinder plugs and torches matter for keeping a fire going and seeing in the dark. Fishing tackle is your route to fish, and arrows and bows are how you hunt.
Fire-hardened arrows are cheap and fine for rabbits and ptarmigans, but they wear out fast. Arrows with forged arrowheads are the better choice for bigger animals. Ammunition becomes important once you're carrying a rifle or revolver, and that's when the stations in Bleak Inlet and Blackrock are worth the trip.
FAQ
Can you craft without a workbench in The Long Dark?
Yes, but only for a small set of items. Open the crafting menu, and items you can't make yet show up grayed out until you have their ingredients. It's the quickest way to patch yourself up when you're out in the open.
How long does crafting take in The Long Dark?
It varies a lot, and some items take dozens of hours. For long jobs, you pick how long to work in each sitting and carry on over several days, as long as you still have all the parts. An unfinished piece does nothing in your inventory until it's complete.
Why won't my forge get hot enough?
Usually it's because you're feeding it only wood. Wood and sticks get the fire started and push it as hot as they can, but the forge needs more heat before it will craft anything, and only coal gets it there. Add coal once the wood and sticks have done what they can.
Do crafted items wear out?
Yes. Crafted items lose condition and can break, just like anything you find. Clothing can be repaired, but bows and arrows can't, so when they're worn out you'll need to make new ones.