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MC Calc

Durability & Repair Calculator

Java 1.14 – 1.21+

Pick your item and material, set how much durability is left, and see how long it really lasts with Unbreaking — plus what every repair method costs in levels, materials or XP.

Item

Times it has been through an anvil

Second item (for combining)

Same item type, no enchantments on it — each enchantment it carries adds to the anvil cost (see the Anvil calculator).

Durability

Diamond Pickaxe400 / 1561
Uses left (Unbreaking 3)
1,600
≈ blocks mined
Full item lasts
6,244
×4 from Unbreaking
Cheapest anvil fix: combining for 3 levels.

Repair options

  • Anvil + Diamond
    3 units, each restores 390 durability
    3 levels + 1 prior-work penalty · result has 2 prior uses
    4 lvl
  • Anvil: combine with the second item
    400 + 1000 + 187 bonus (12%) → 1561 / 1561
    Keeps enchantments · result has 2 prior uses
    3 lvl
  • Grindstone: combine
    → 1478 / 1561 (5% bonus)
    Removes all non-curse enchantments and resets prior work
    free
  • Mending
    2 durability per XP point, taken from orbs before they reach your bar
    The same XP would take you from level 0 to 20.5
    581 XP

How it works

Every tool, weapon and armor piece has a fixed durability by material: 59 for wooden tools, 1,561 for diamond, 2,031 for netherite. Each use normally costs one point (swords lose 2 when breaking blocks, tools lose 2 when hitting mobs).

Unbreaking gives each use a chance to cost nothing. On tools, weapons, elytra and shields the chance to lose durability is 1 ÷ (level + 1), so Unbreaking III makes an item last 4× as long. Armor gets less: 60% + 40% ÷ (level + 1), about 1.43× at level III.

On an anvil each unit of the repair material restores a quarter of the item's durability for 1 level; combining two damaged items adds both durabilities plus a 12% bonus for 2 levels. Both also charge the prior-work penalty, which doubles with every anvil use. Mending instead turns XP orbs into 2 durability per point.

Formulas

Unbreaking — tools, weapons, elytra
chance to lose durability = 1 ÷ (L + 1) → lasts (L + 1)×
Unbreaking — armor
chance = 0.6 + 0.4 ÷ (L + 1) → III lasts ≈ 1.43×
Anvil, material
units = ⌈damage ÷ ⌊max ÷ 4⌋⌉ · cost = units + (2^priorWork − 1)
Anvil, combining
durability = rem₁ + rem₂ + ⌊max × 12%⌋ · cost = 2 + penalties of both
Mending
XP points to fully repair = ⌈damage ÷ 2⌉

FAQ

How much does Unbreaking III add?

Tools, weapons and elytra last 4× as long on average. Armor only lasts about 1.43× as long, because Unbreaking works differently on armor.

Is it cheaper to repair with materials or Mending?

Mending costs no levels and never raises the anvil penalty, so it is the long-term winner. Material repairs are cheap at first but each one adds an anvil use, eventually hitting “Too Expensive!”.

How long does an elytra last?

432 seconds (7.2 minutes) of gliding, or about 28.8 minutes with Unbreaking III. Repair it with phantom membranes or Mending.

Does a grindstone repair items?

Yes — combining two of the same item in a grindstone adds their durability plus 5%, for free, but it strips all non-curse enchantments.

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