Whetstones
Few things are more frustrating in Minecraft than watching your favorite diamond pickaxe tick down to its last few durability points while you are deep underground. You have two choices: turn around and head home, or risk breaking it completely. The Whetstones add-on offers a third, far more satisfying option. This clever utility lets you repair tools on the go, without a crafting table, an anvil, or a mountain of experience levels. Instead, you simply carry a whetstone in one hand, hold the damaged tool in the other, and right-click to restore its durability.
What Does the Whetstones Add-On Do?
The core idea behind this mod is elegantly simple. It introduces six distinct whetstone tiers, each matched to the game's existing material hierarchy. When you use a whetstone, it consumes a set amount of its own durability to repair the tool you are holding. This means you can extend your mining trips significantly, fix your sword before a boss fight, or just keep your favorite shovel pristine without needing to hoard raw materials for an anvil.
Whetstone Tiers and Durability
Each whetstone type has a specific capacity and can only repair tools of its own tier or lower. The exception is the netherite whetstone, which can handle any tool in the game. Here is the full breakdown:
- Wooden Whetstone: Repairs wood tier tools and lower. It has 59 durability.
- Stone Whetstone: Repairs stone tier tools and lower. It has 131 durability.
- Iron Whetstone: Repairs iron tier tools and lower. It has 250 durability.
- Golden Whetstone: Repairs gold tier tools and lower. It has 32 durability.
- Diamond Whetstone: Repairs diamond tier tools and lower. It has 1561 durability.
- Netherite Whetstone: Repairs any tier of tools. It has 2031 durability.
This tiered system encourages you to carry a few different whetstones for different situations. A stone whetstone is perfect for early-game axes, while a diamond whetstone becomes your best friend once you have enchanted gear.
How to Use Whetstones in Game
Using the mod is straightforward, but the controls are specific. You do not right-click the tool in your inventory. Instead, you need to hold the damaged tool in your off-hand and the whetstone in your main hand. Then, simply right-click. The whetstone will immediately transfer durability to the tool, and both items will show the updated values in their durability bars.
Step-by-Step Repair Process
- Equip the tool you want to repair in your off-hand slot.
- Hold the appropriate whetstone in your main hand.
- Right-click to repair the tool.
That is all there is to it. The process is instant, which makes it perfect for emergency repairs during combat or while exploring dangerous biomes.
Configuring the Whetstones Mod
The add-on comes with a few config options that let you tailor the experience to your playstyle. You can adjust these in the mod's configuration file, giving you control over how powerful the whetstones are.
- 'onlyTools': Set this to true to ensure that only tools can be repaired. If false, the whetstone may also repair armor and other items.
- 'onlyLowerTiers': When enabled, a whetstone can only repair tools of a lower or equal tier. The netherite whetstone is the exception and can repair all tiers. This option only takes effect if 'onlyTools' is also enabled.
- Durability per whetstone type: You can set a custom value between 1 and 10000 for how much durability each whetstone tier has. This lets you make them last longer or become a scarce resource.
These settings are great for server owners who want to balance the mod, or for solo players who want a more challenging survival experience.
Supported Versions and Installation
The Whetstones add-on is available for recent versions of Minecraft, including 1.20 and 1.21, and it supports the Fabric loader. This makes it a lightweight addition that loads quickly and has minimal compatibility issues with other performance mods. To get started, you will need to download Whetstones from a trusted mod repository. The file is a simple .jar that you drop into your mods folder. If you are using a launcher, the process is even easier.
Many players find that using the foxygame.net launcher simplifies the entire experience. It offers a curated add-on catalog where you can browse for Whetstones for Minecraft and install it with a single click, rather than manually tracking down files. The launcher also handles auto-updates, so you always have the latest version of Whetstones without having to revisit download pages. Furthermore, it checks version compatibility for you, preventing the common error of loading a mod into the wrong Minecraft build.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the most common questions is whether you can use this mod in a modpack. The answer is a resounding yes. The developer explicitly states that you are free to include it in any modpack you create. This makes Whetstones a valuable addition to custom modpacks that focus on exploration or long-term survival, where keeping tools repaired is a constant challenge.
Another frequent query is about the difference between this and the vanilla anvil. The anvil is powerful but requires experience levels and raw materials. Whetstones, on the other hand, only require the whetstone itself. This makes them a more resource-efficient way to handle minor repairs, though you will still need to craft new whetstones when they run out of durability.
Final Thoughts on Whetstones
If you are tired of carrying multiple backups of your best tools or constantly grinding for experience to repair them, the Whetstones add-on is a must-have. It is simple to learn, easy to configure, and integrates seamlessly into the game's existing progression. Whether you are a casual builder or a hardcore speedrunner, having a whetstone in your inventory is a small change that makes a big difference. So, download Whetstones today and say goodbye to broken pickaxes forever.