I started out on a '65 Ford F100. It had neither of them, and was easy to steer as long as it was moving. It was a stripper (no options at all, not even a radio), so it was probably the 3100 lb base weight. But ideally the weight of a car without power steering and brakes would be closer to 2000 lbs, such as a Porsche 914 or VW Beetle.
The key here in one of the heavier vehicles is you want to turn while moving. Any movement at all is fine, even half a mile an hour makes non-power steering easy. Once you come to a complete stop, it’s a pain.