How to Make and Use a Grindstone in Minecraft

When you’re setting up your blacksmithing room at your Minecraft world’s base of operation, make sure to squeeze in a Grindstone! This block is essential for repairing and disenchanting tools. You can even get Experience from it while taking unwanted Enchantments off of items.

What You Need to Craft a Grindstone in Minecraft

Here are the items needed to craft a Grindstone in Minecraft:

• 2 Sticks
• 2 Wooden Planks (any kind of wood is fine)
• 1 Stone Slab

On a Crafting Table, place the two Sticks in the top-left and top-right corners. Then place the two Wooden Planks directly under the two Sticks (the middle-left and middle-right slots). Lastly, place the Stone Slab between the two Sticks—in the top-middle slot. Once you’re done, you’ll get one Grindstone!

Warning

A Cobblestone Slab won’t work for this recipe. You specifically need a Stone Slab.

You must place a Grindstone to use it. In the Java Edition, you can place a Grindstone anywhere; however, in the Bedrock Edition, a Grindstone will break unless placed on top of a block (any kind of block will do).

If you want to move your Grindstone, you’ll need to mine it with any type of Pickaxe for it to drop itself. If you break a Grindstone with anything besides a Pickaxe, it’ll be destroyed and won’t drop itself—or anything for that matter.

How to Make Stone Slabs

The Sticks and Wooden Planks you need to craft a Grindstone are easy to acquire. However, remembering the recipe for crafting Stone Slabs can be tricky! Here’s a tip for remembering the recipe: it’s long and low, like a Slab’s appearance! Simply place three of almost any type of wood or stone material in a row on a Crafting Table. Doing so gets you six Slabs.

Alternatively, you can use a Stonecutter to make Stone Slabs. Place one block of Stone in a Stonecutter to get two Stone Slabs.

However, remember that Stone Slabs are different from Cobblestone Slabs! To make a Stone Slab, you need Stone, which is created when you place Cobblestone in a Furnace and smelt it.

Finding a Grindstone Instead of Crafting It

In any type of Village, it’s possible to find a Grindstone in a Weaponsmith’s house. Mine it with any type of Pickaxe for a free Grindstone! Don’t worry—the Villagers won’t mind. You’re only…borrowing it, right?

How to Use a Grindstone in Minecraft

There are three main uses for a Grindstone in Minecraft: repairing tools, disenchanting items, and changing a Villager’s profession.

Here’s a list of items that can be repaired and disenchanted on a Grindstone:

• Helmet
• Chestplate
• Leggings
• Boots
• Pickaxe
• Sword
• Axe
• Shovel
• Hoe
• Bow
• Crossbow
• Trident
• Shield
• Turtle Shell
• Elytra
• Carrot on a Stick
• Warped Fungus on a Stick
• Fishing Rod
• Shears
• Flint and Steel

Note

All types of items of the above-mentioned variety can be repaired and disenchanted. For example, Wooden tools and Leather armor can be used on Grindstones, as can Iron, Gold, Diamond, and Netherite.

Using a Grindstone to Repair Tools

To repair a tool on a Grindstone, you need two of that particular item. On the Grindstone’s interface, there are two slots on the left and one on the right. Place the two damaged items of the same type into the two left slots and a version of those items with more durability will appear in the singular right slot. The outputted item will have the combined durability of the two inputted items in addition to an extra 5% of that item type’s maximum durability.

Note

Inputted items are always consumed in the repairing process.

By “two items of the same type,” we mean the exact same item. For instance, two Bows can be combined on a Grindstone. Another example is that two Iron Swords can be combined. Conversely, an Iron Sword and a Diamond Sword cannot be combined on a Grindstone.

If one of the items you inputted on the left of a Grindstone is enchanted, that Enchantment will not transfer to the “repaired” item that gets outputted on the right. However, you’ll get some Experience for the consumed Enchantment.

Using a Grindstone to Disenchant Items

Disenchanting a tool on a Grindstone is even easier than repairing it! Simply place an enchanted item in one of the two left slots of a Grindstone and a non-enchanted version of it appears in the right slot. After you take out the disenchanted weapon, you’ll get some Experience. Moreover, the amount of Experience you get is roughly proportional to the level and type of Enchantment removed from the item.

Note

There is a random factor regarding disenchanting, so sometimes you may get a bit more or a bit less Experience from the same Enchantments.

Changing a Villager’s Profession With a Grindstone

The Grindstone is the Job Site Block for the Weaponsmith Villager profession. You can only turn unemployed Villagers into Weaponsmiths. To do so, place a Grindstone near an unemployed Villager and keep them near the Grindstone until they turn into a Weaponsmith.

While you can’t repair enchanted tools with a Grindstone in Minecraft, this handy block still lets you repair other valuable items! Netherite tools and armor are very hard to craft, so repairing them is far less tedious than making new ones. While you’re enhancing your base’s blacksmithing room, we recommend installing a Smithing Table to beautify your armor.