How to make a grindstone in Minecraft, last updated: October 14, 2026
Overall, the grindstone is a small utility block that repairs tools, removes enchantments and gives you experience back. Fortunately, it is cheap to craft: you need 2 sticks, 2 wooden planks and 1 stone slab. In addition, this guide shows the exact crafting pattern, explains what the block does and compares it with the anvil.
How to Make a Grindstone in Minecraft: The Recipe
According to PCGamesN and G-Portal, the recipe uses the 3×3 crafting grid of a crafting table. Also, the planks can be any type of wood.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stick | 2 |
| Wooden planks (any type) | 2 |
| Stone slab | 1 |
How to Make a Grindstone: Gather the Materials
First, craft the sticks and planks from any logs. Next, make the stone slab. To do this, smelt cobblestone in a furnace to get stone, and then place three stone blocks in a row on the crafting table. This gives you six slabs, so you will have extra for later.
How to Make a Grindstone: Place the Items
Open the crafting table and place the items in this pattern:
- Top row: stick, stone slab, stick
- Middle row: wooden plank, empty, wooden plank
- Bottom row: empty, empty, empty
Then, move it from the result box into your inventory. The recipe is the same in Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, so you can follow these steps on any version.
What Does This Block Do?
In short, this block has three main jobs. First, it removes enchantments. When you place an enchanted item inside, it removes every enchantment except curses, such as Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing. In addition, it gives you experience points based on the enchantments it removed, and it costs you no XP to use.
Second, it repairs items. If you place two items of the same type, the grindstone combines their durability and adds a 5% bonus. For example, G-Portal says two swords at 30% become one sword at 65%. However, both input items are used up, and the result loses its enchantments.
Third, it works as the job site block for villagers. Because of this, a villager next to a grindstone can become a weaponsmith. Meanwhile, you can find grindstones in villages, usually near the weaponsmith’s house, so you can also pick one up instead of crafting it.
Anvil Comparison: Which Block Wins?
Both blocks repair items, but they do different jobs. Below, the table shows the main differences.
| Feature | Grindstone | Anvil |
|---|---|---|
| Removes enchantments | Yes, except curses | No |
| Combines enchantments | No | Yes |
| Costs XP to use | No | Yes |
| Gives XP back | Yes | No |
Therefore, use it to clean up loot and recover XP. On the other hand, use the anvil when you want to keep or combine enchantments.
Tips After You Learn How to Make a Grindstone
- First, check the enchantments before you place an item. For example, Mending, Fortune and Silk Touch are easy to lose by mistake.
- Also, use it on unwanted enchanted loot to get free XP.
- Next, keep it near your anvil, enchanting table and storage, so you can switch between them quickly.
- Finally, place a grindstone beside a villager if you want a weaponsmith.
If you are still gathering materials, read the best y level for diamonds. Also, a new world can start better with the best minecraft seeds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many players lose good items because they use the block too quickly. For instance, removing the enchantments from a netherite tool often wastes its value. Similarly, some players confuse the grindstone with the smithing table, which upgrades gear instead. Because of this, always check what you are about to remove.
How to Make a Grindstone FAQ
How to make a grindstone in Java Edition?
Use 2 sticks, 2 planks and 1 stone slab on a crafting table, with the slab in the top middle. Also, the Bedrock recipe is the same.
Can it remove curses?
No. In fact, Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing stay on the item.
Does it cost XP?
No. In fact, it costs nothing to use, and removing enchantments even gives you XP.
Is it better than an anvil?
Not always. The grindstone removes enchantments, while the anvil combines them, so each block has a different job.
Conclusion
Now you know how to make a grindstone: place 2 sticks, 1 stone slab and 2 planks in the pattern above. In short, it is one of the cheapest and most useful utility blocks in survival. If your game also lags, you can read how to lower ping in games, or check why does my game keep crashing.
