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Have you read the Silmarillion yet, Ingo? If not, it is about the Elves and the First Age. Really good reading. I recommend it. It does tell also of how they learned to forge and use the weapons.
Considering how Elves are naturally skilled, agile and inteligent, I wouldn't be suprised if they were able to use swords and play flutes at the same time.
While tapdancing on a Variag of Khand, no doubt.
But anyway, Elves must have used other weapons than bows and knives, obviously. You wouldn't get very far according to Darwinism with just those. I am 97.4% sure that they used swords and spears at least, in addition to bows. Knives are used by pretty much all races, but cannot really be attributed to any race because they are used so seldom. Legolas used one, so automatically all Elves do?!?!
Eg. Eöl, who was an Elf in the First Age (if you don't know who he is, read the Silmarillion NOW!), was a sort of part-time blacksmith and he made two swords, one of which he used himself. One of the swords was named Anglachel, can't remember the other one.
The Noldor preferred the sword but also used spears, axes and bows (both longbows and 'horsebows').
The preferred weapon of the Sindar was the axe and the short bow, but they also used spears and some used swords and longbows.
The Vanyar favoured the spear.
The Silvan Elves seemed to prefer the bow and spear, but some also used swords.
Which in particular?
The information is gleaned from Hobbit, LotR, Sil., UT, and various of the HoME books, and thus would be a lot to quote and cite in total. If you have some more specific query it would be easier to reply.
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