Similar to anvils, grindstones can be used to repair items in Minecraft. However, they can also remove enchantments from tools, weapons, and armor.
Serve as a job block site for Village Weaponsmiths to Minecraft, the Grindstone is a utility block similar to the Anvil that can repair tools, weapons, and armor. However, the main difference between the two is that the anvil can combine item enchantments, but the grindstone removes them. While such a feature might seem unnecessary at a glance, the Grindstone stands out as a useful “factory reset” for any crafted or looted enchanted item in Minecraft.
For example, players may decide that they want their precious diamond pickaxe to have a different enchantment but don’t have the resources to create a new one. This problem can be quickly solved by placing the tool in a grinding wheel and returning it to its unchanged quality. On the other hand, Minecraft explorers may find valuable armor or weapons in a dungeon’s loot chest with enchantments that aren’t practical in their situation or don’t appeal to them. Likewise, the Grindstone is the perfect solution for removing unwanted enchantments and making room for new ones.
A good reason Minecraft players might want a grinding wheel instead of an anvil, especially in the early game, is its very low price in terms of material cost. A total of 31 Minecraft Iron ingots are needed to craft an anvil, but only Staff x2, Plank x2 and Stone Slab x1 are needed to assemble a grinding wheel. Keep in mind that the recipe for Grindstone will not appear in the “quick search function” of the crafting menu until the player has crafted a stone slab.
How to Use a Grindstone in Minecraft
Wooden Staffs and Planks are easy to craft, but Stone Slab is slightly more complex, as its recipe includes smelting Cobblestone into Stone. This process can be done by placing a block of cobblestone in an oven. Repeat this procedure three times to produce three refined blocks of stone. Finally, place them horizontally on the 3×3 crafting menu to craft Stone Slab x6.
Once players have created a millstone, they can use its functions in the following ways.
- First, to remove the enchantment from an item in Minecraft, place the single in one of the slots on the right. The unenchanted form of the item will appear on the left, and acquiring it will consume the original enchanted item and refund a random amount of XP. More enchantments mined will result in more XP refunded.
- Then, to repair an object, place it and another of the same type in the slots on the right. The sum of both items’ durability will be applied to a new item on the left, removing all enchantments in the process.
- Additionally, players should be aware that the Grindstone cannot remove curses.
Minecraft is available on PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch.
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