The Minecraft grindstone recipe gives you access to a tool that does more than just repair gear—it removes unwanted enchantments, resets XP costs, and even helps with villager trades. In this guide, we'll explore how to make a grindstone in Minecraft and uncover why every player should have one in their survival or creative world.

9 reasons to get a grindstone in Minecraft

The grindstone is an incredibly useful block in Minecraft, whether you're managing your gear, farming experience, or working with villagers. 

Repair your tools and weapons

A grindstone lets you combine two damaged items of the same type to create a new one with better durability. Unlike an anvil, this process doesn’t cost experience points, making it an easy and free way to maintain your tools and weapons.

Remove unwanted enchantments

If you accidentally enchant an item with something useless the grindstone can remove all enchantments except curses. This is a great way to fix mistakes and clean up your gear.

Earn experience from disenchanting

When you remove enchantments from an item, you gain experience (XP) based on the enchantments it had. This is a simple way to farm XP, especially if you collect enchanted loot from mobs, chests, or villagers.

Reset the “Prior Work Penalty”

Every time you use an anvil to repair or rename an item, it increases the XP cost for future repairs. A grindstone resets this penalty, making it easier and cheaper to repair items again later.

Get a weaponsmith villager

If you place a grindstone in a village, an unemployed villager can become a weaponsmith. Weaponsmiths offer great trades, including diamond weapons at higher levels. This is a great way to get powerful gear without mining for diamonds.

Save inventory space

Carrying multiple damaged tools takes up space. By combining them in a grindstone, you create a single, more durable tool while freeing up inventory slots. This is especially useful when exploring or mining.

Cheap and easy to craft

A grindstone only requires 2 sticks, 1 stone slab, and 2 wood planks. Since these materials are easy to find, you can craft one early in the game without needing rare resources like iron.

Can be placed in any orientation

In Java Edition, a grindstone can be placed in any direction and doesn’t need a supporting block. This makes it useful for both decoration and practical setups in your base.

No fuel or redstone needed

Unlike furnaces, a grindstone doesn’t need fuel to work. Unlike anvils, it doesn’t consume XP for repairs. It’s a simple, efficient tool that’s always ready to use.

Minecraft grindstone recipe: How to make a grindstone in Minecraft

To craft a grindstone, you will need:

• 2 Sticks
• 1 Stone Slab 
• 2 Wood Planks (any type: oak, spruce, birch, jungle, acacia, etc.)

How to craft a grindstone in Minecraft

• Open your crafting menu to access the 3x3 crafting grid.
• Arrange the items in the 3x3 crafting grid as follows:
  • The stone slab must be in the middle of the top row.
  • The sticks go on either side of the stone slab.
  • The wood planks go in the left and right slots of the second row.
• Once the correct pattern is placed, the grindstone appears in the output slot. Drag it into your inventory to complete the crafting process.

How does the Minecraft grindstone work?

A grindstone helps players remove enchantments from tools, weapons, or armor. When you place an enchanted item into the grindstone, it erases all enchantments. You also get a small amount of experience in return. This is useful when you want to clean an item and use it again.

The grindstone also repairs items. If you place two damaged items of the same type, they combine their durability. The repaired item is stronger than the original. This does not cost any materials or experience points. You can craft a grindstone using two sticks, one stone slab, and two wooden planks. It is easy to build early in the game and helps save resources.

Is grindstone better than anvil in Minecraft?

Each tool has different uses. The grindstone is simple and does not cost experience. The anvil can do more, but it needs experience points. Here is a quick comparison:

Both tools are useful in different ways. The grindstone is better for removing enchantments or fixing basic tools. The anvil is better when you want to keep or combine enchantments. Players should choose based on what they need at that moment.