Mekanism Tools is a companion addon for Mekanism that adds six new material tiers covering every equipment slot: Pickaxe, Axe, Shovel, Hoe, Sword, Shield, and the Paxel. Each material tier uses Mekanism's alloys and refined ingots, so your gear progression advances in step with your machine infrastructure.
The six materials range from Lapis Lazuli, a low-durability enchanting-focused option, to Refined Obsidian, a fire-immune tier that surpasses Netherite in damage, protection, and durability. All recipes use a standard Crafting Table, requiring no new workstations beyond what Mekanism already uses to produce the raw materials.
Getting Started with Mekanism Tools
Since Mekanism Tools is an addon, Mekanism's base machines must be operational before any crafting is possible. The mod adds no new crafting stations of its own. All tools, weapons, and armor use a regular Crafting Table, but the raw materials come from Mekanism machinery like the Metallurgic Infuser and Osmium Compressor depending on which tier you target.
Install Mekanism
Mekanism Tools lists Mekanism as a hard dependency, meaning the game will not load without it present. Install both mods, then load a world and confirm Osmium Ore is generating underground in the Overworld. Finding Osmium confirms the base mod is active and your setup is ready for Mekanism Tools crafting.
Choose Your First Material
Lapis Lazuli tools require no machines and use raw Lapis gems directly, but durability is very low at 128 uses with only stone-tier harvest level. Bronze is the better early investment: enrich Tin in an Enrichment Chamber, combine it with Copper Ingots in the Metallurgic Infuser at a ratio of 3 Copper per cycle, then smelt the resulting Bronze Dust into ingots for iron-equivalent harvest power at 375 durability.
Craft Your First Paxel
A Paxel combines Pickaxe, Axe, and Shovel into one item, freeing two hotbar slots for other gear. Craft a Bronze or Iron Paxel early since the material cost is only slightly higher than making three separate tools. Paxel durability is always double the base material durability, so a Bronze Paxel provides 750 uses before breaking and an Iron Paxel provides 500.
Follow the Material Progression
After Bronze, the natural path moves to Steel and Osmium. Steel uses Iron and Coal through the Metallurgic Infuser while Osmium is mined directly from the Overworld.
Refined Glowstone and Refined Obsidian require later-stage machines and more complex processing chains, placing them in the mid-to-late game. Refined Obsidian represents the apex tier, with stats that surpass Netherite and fully fireproof item properties.
All Crafting Materials in Mekanism Tools
Mekanism Tools adds six custom materials, plus Paxels for the six vanilla tool tiers (Wood, Stone, Iron, Gold, Diamond, Netherite). Each custom material produces a full armor set (Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots), five tools (Pickaxe, Axe, Shovel, Hoe, Sword), a Paxel, and a Shield available in 16 dyeable color variants.
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is the weakest Mekanism Tools material with 128 tool durability and a harvest level equivalent to Stone tools. Its one standout property is enchantability at 32, the highest of any material in the mod and well above Gold's 22.
This makes it a viable cheap enchanting platform for specific builds, but impractical for regular combat or mining. The full Lapis Lazuli armor set provides only 9 total defense points, well below Iron's 15. Swords deal 5 attack damage, one point below an Iron Sword at 6.
The pieces break quickly in combat, reinforcing this material's role as a temporary gear tier rather than functional protective equipment. Most players skip Lapis Lazuli and aim directly for Bronze.
Bronze
Bronze is the first genuinely practical material in Mekanism Tools. It reaches iron-equivalent harvest level (level 2) with 375 tool durability and a mining speed of 7.0, faster than Iron tools at 6.0.
Bronze Swords deal 6 attack damage, matching Iron. The full armor set provides 18 total defense points, above Iron's 15, with 1.0 armor toughness.
Crafting Bronze requires Tin Dust processed from Tin Ore in an Enrichment Chamber, combined with Copper Ingots in the Metallurgic Infuser (3 Copper per cycle), then smelted from Bronze Dust into Bronze Ingots. This is the first Mekanism machine-crafted material most players produce and a clear quality improvement over vanilla Iron gear across every equipment slot.
Steel
Steel reaches diamond-equivalent harvest level (level 3) with 500 tool durability and a mining speed of 8.0, matching Diamond tools exactly. Steel Swords deal 7 attack damage, identical to Diamond Swords.
The full armor set provides 20 total defense points with 2.0 toughness, equaling Diamond Armor in both protection and toughness values. Steel requires Iron Ingots and Coal through the Metallurgic Infuser, making it achievable well before reaching diamond-level cave depths.
This is the key advantage: Steel delivers Diamond-equivalent tool and armor performance from machine-crafted materials, removing the dependency on underground exploration. For players running Mekanism in a modpack, Steel is often the primary gear tier for several hours of mid-game play.
Osmium
Osmium offers 1024 tool durability, over four times Iron's 250 but below Diamond's 1561. Mining speed is 4.0, slower than Iron tools, making Osmium better suited for endurance mining over long sessions rather than speed mining. Harvest level sits at 2, same as Iron, meaning Osmium tools mine Gold Ore, Diamond Ore, Redstone Ore, and Emerald Ore.
Osmium Swords deal 8 attack damage, matching Netherite. The full armor set provides 21 total defense points with 3.0 toughness, slightly above Diamond, and grants 0.1 knockback resistance across the set. Osmium is mined directly from the Overworld and requires no machine processing beyond smelting, making it one of the more straightforward materials to stockpile for gear crafting.
Refined Glowstone
Refined Glowstone tools have a mining speed of 15.0, the highest in the mod and nearly double Diamond's 8.0. They reach diamond-equivalent harvest level (level 3), meaning they mine Obsidian and Ancient Debris.
Tool durability is moderate at 384 uses, but the speed advantage makes Refined Glowstone tools dramatically more efficient for large-scale excavation and Nether mining projects.
Refined Glowstone Armor provides 20 total defense points but 0.0 toughness, matching Diamond's defense total while trading the toughness bonus for extreme mining speed. Wearing any piece of Refined Glowstone Armor makes Piglins neutral toward you, functioning identically to the Gold Armor Piglin-neutral effect.
The advancement "Loved by Piglins" reflects this mechanic. For Nether exploration and Bastion Remnant runs, this set combines solid defense with a meaningful safety bonus that prevents Piglin aggression.
Any single piece of Refined Glowstone Armor triggers Piglin neutrality. You do not need a full set. Swapping just the Boots or Helmet slot for a Refined Glowstone piece keeps Piglins passive while wearing other armor in the remaining slots.
Refined Obsidian
Refined Obsidian is the strongest material in Mekanism Tools. Tools have 4096 durability, over twice Netherite's 2031, with a mining speed of 12.0 and a harvest level of 4, matching Netherite for block mining capability. All Refined Obsidian items are fireproof and will not burn if dropped into lava or fire, identical to Netherite's fireproof property.
Refined Obsidian Swords deal 12 attack damage, making them 50% more powerful than Netherite Swords at 8. The armor set provides 31 total defense points with 5.0 toughness, far ahead of Netherite's 20 defense and 3.0 toughness. A full Refined Obsidian armor set also adds 0.2 knockback resistance, reducing incoming knockback substantially during extended combat encounters.
Best Weapons in Mekanism Tools
All six materials produce a sword as the primary weapon type, with each tier contributing more base attack damage. The table below compares the four most relevant weapon tiers for mid-to-late game decision making.
Bronze Sword
Steel Sword
Osmium Sword
Refined Obsidian Sword
Refined Obsidian Sword
The Refined Obsidian Sword is the best weapon in Mekanism Tools at 12 attack damage, significantly outperforming Netherite at 8. It inherits the fireproof property from the Refined Obsidian material, and 4096 durability means it lasts through extended combat without frequent repairs. The high material cost ties it to late Mekanism progression, but once crafted it remains the strongest melee option available in the mod.
Osmium Sword
The Osmium Sword matches Netherite at 8 attack damage and serves as a reliable mid-game weapon while building toward Refined Obsidian production. Osmium is mined directly from the Overworld and smelted without advanced machines, making this weapon reachable well before Netherite becomes accessible through nether exploration. The 1024-use durability also reduces how often you need to repair it during active play.
Steel Sword
The Steel Sword matches Diamond at 7 attack damage and arrives earlier in most Mekanism progressions than Diamond mining allows. Steel Ingots require Iron and Coal through the Metallurgic Infuser, both early-game materials that remove the dependency on cave exploration. For players working through Mekanism's machine chain, the Steel Sword provides Diamond-equivalent damage at a significantly earlier stage of progression.
Best Armor Sets in Mekanism Tools
All six custom materials produce complete four-piece armor sets. The comparison below covers the top tiers for protection, toughness, and special properties. All Mekanism Tools armor supports Minecraft's armor trim system with all 16 Smithing Template designs.
Bronze
Osmium
Refined Glowstone
Refined Obsidian
Refined Obsidian Armor
Refined Obsidian Armor provides 31 total defense points with 5.0 toughness, significantly outperforming Netherite's 20 defense and 3.0 toughness. All four pieces are fireproof, and wearing the full set adds 0.2 knockback resistance.
Individual piece durabilities are Helmet 825, Chestplate 1200, Leggings 1125, and Boots 975, all more than double their Netherite equivalents. The advancement "Better Than Netherite" triggers when you equip any piece.
Osmium Armor
Osmium Armor provides 21 total defense points with 3.0 toughness, slightly above Diamond. Individual piece durability values (Helmet 330, Chestplate 480, Leggings 450, Boots 390) are meaningfully higher than Diamond equivalents. The 0.1 knockback resistance applies across the full set, and since Osmium is obtained through direct Overworld mining rather than processing chains, this is one of the most accessible strong armor sets in the mod.
Refined Glowstone Armor
Refined Glowstone Armor provides 20 total defense points but 0.0 toughness, matching Diamond's defense total without the toughness reduction bonus. It carries the unique property of making Piglins neutral when you wear any single piece, functioning identically to the Gold Armor effect. For Nether exploration, particularly in Bastion Remnants, this armor balances solid defense with a practical social bonus that prevents Piglin aggression.
Steel Armor
Steel Armor matches Diamond at 20 total defense points with 2.0 toughness, providing Diamond-equivalent protection from machine-crafted materials. Steel Chestplate (320), Leggings (300), Boots (260), and Helmet (220) durability values are comparable to Diamond armor. This set arrives earlier than Diamond for most Mekanism players, removing the dependency on deep-cave exploration for strong mid-game defense.
Paxels: The Multi-Tool
The Paxel is Mekanism Tools' signature item, combining a Pickaxe, Axe, and Shovel into one tool. It performs all three functions at the full mining speed and harvest level of its base material, replacing three hotbar slots with a single item. The "Multi-Tool" advancement unlocks when you craft your first Paxel of any type.
Paxels are available for all six custom Mekanism materials and all six vanilla tool tiers. Vanilla Paxel durabilities use the 2x rule: Iron Paxel at 500, Diamond Paxel at 3122, and Netherite Paxel at 4062. Custom material Paxels follow the same doubling: Bronze Paxel (750), Steel Paxel (1000), Osmium Paxel (2048), and Refined Obsidian Paxel (8192).
Iron Paxel
Bronze Paxel
Steel Paxel
Refined Obsidian Paxel
What a Paxel Can Do
Beyond mining, a Paxel performs every secondary tool interaction. Right-clicking a log strips it like an Axe.
Dirt and grass convert to path blocks the same way a Shovel would, and campfires extinguish on right-click. All default Shovel, Axe, and Pickaxe tool actions apply, making the Paxel a genuinely complete multi-tool rather than just a combined mining item.
Which Paxel to Craft First
An Iron Paxel at 500 durability is the most accessible starting point, costing only slightly more than three iron tools combined. Bronze Paxel (750 durability, harvest level 2) and Steel Paxel (1000 durability, harvest level 3) provide the best mid-game upgrade path. The Refined Obsidian Paxel at 8192 durability with harvest level 4 covers the full endgame mining toolkit in one item.
Shields in Mekanism Tools
Mekanism Tools adds a Shield for each of the six custom materials. All function identically to the vanilla Shield for blocking mechanics, but each comes in 16 dyeable color variants: Black, Blue, Brown, Cyan, Gray, Green, Light Blue, Light Gray, Lime, Magenta, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, and Yellow.
The vanilla Shield has 336 durability, and most Mekanism Tools shields significantly exceed that. The Lapis Lazuli Shield at 224 is actually weaker than vanilla, while Bronze Shield (403), Refined Glowstone Shield (381), Steel Shield (448), and Osmium Shield (672) all surpass it. The Refined Obsidian Shield at 1680 durability lasts five times longer than a vanilla Shield and rarely breaks in normal play.
Bronze Shield
Steel Shield
Osmium Shield
Refined Obsidian Shield
Tips for Success
Craft a Paxel before your first major mining session. Players consistently identified the Paxel as the highest immediate-value item from Mekanism Tools. A Bronze Paxel costs only marginally more than three separate Bronze tools but frees two hotbar slots, and the doubled durability means fewer return trips to the surface for repairs. Starting with a Paxel makes every mining trip more efficient from the beginning.
Skip Lapis Lazuli armor for combat purposes. The 9 total defense points sit well below Iron's 15, and sword damage at 5 is weaker than an Iron Sword. Lapis Lazuli's only practical advantage is the enchantability of 32, useful only in specific situations where you want heavily enchanted but deliberately fragile gear. For combat and general mining, aim directly for Bronze instead.
Use Refined Glowstone gear when building or mining in the Nether. The mining speed of 15.0 cuts through Netherrack in seconds, the Piglin-neutral armor property eliminates the biggest social threat in Bastions, and the combination makes Nether construction dramatically more comfortable. Refined Glowstone tools are particularly valuable for large Nether projects where speed and safety matter more than maximum combat power.
Account for Osmium's slower mining speed before committing to it. Osmium tools run at 4.0 mining efficiency, which is slower than Iron's 6.0 and considerably slower than Steel's 8.0. The exceptional durability at 1024 uses makes Osmium worthwhile for long underground sessions, but players transitioning from Steel or Diamond-speed tools will notice the difference. Osmium Paxels compensate by running 2048 uses between repairs, reducing the frequency of surface trips.
Refined Obsidian weapons pair naturally with Mekanism's MekaSuit armor. Mekanism Tools weapons occupy the weapon slot independently from armor, so using a Refined Obsidian Sword alongside MekaSuit is the natural late-game loadout rather than a conflict between the two systems. The Refined Obsidian Sword at 12 attack damage remains the strongest melee option available even at the endgame stage, complementing MekaSuit's defensive capabilities effectively.
Mekanism Tools requires the Mekanism base mod as a hard dependency. The game will refuse to load without it. Install Mekanism first, confirm it is working, then add Mekanism Tools. None of the materials or crafting recipes will function without the base mod present.
Mekanism Tools FAQ
Mekanism Tools only requires the base Mekanism mod as a dependency. Mekanism handles all material production including Bronze, Steel, Osmium, Refined Glowstone, and Refined Obsidian processing. No additional mods or addons are required to access all six material tiers and item types in Mekanism Tools.
The Refined Obsidian Sword deals 12 attack damage, making it the strongest weapon in the mod and significantly more powerful than Netherite Swords at 8. For players not yet producing Refined Obsidian, the Osmium Sword matches Netherite damage at 8 attack and is accessible much earlier through Overworld mining.
Yes. All Mekanism Tools armor sets support Minecraft's armor trim system and accept all 16 Smithing Template designs. You apply trims to Bronze, Osmium, Refined Obsidian, or any other Mekanism Tools armor the same way you would apply them to Diamond or Netherite armor pieces.
A Paxel performs every function of a Pickaxe, Axe, and Shovel from a single item slot, with durability equal to double the base material. It also performs secondary tool interactions: stripping logs, turning dirt into path blocks, and extinguishing campfires. The slot economy alone, replacing three tools with one item that lasts twice as long, makes it one of the most practical additions in the mod.
Refined Glowstone Armor triggers the same Piglin-neutral mechanic as Gold Armor, which is intentional behavior in Mekanism Tools. Wearing any single piece of Refined Glowstone Armor causes Piglins to ignore you, functioning identically to wearing any piece of Gold Armor. The advancement "Loved by Piglins" tracks this behavior. You do not need to wear a full set for the effect to activate.
Osmium tools have a mining efficiency of 4.0 by design, which is lower than Iron at 6.0. The trade-off is 1024 durability, over four times Iron's 250. Osmium tools are intended for endurance mining: they mine fewer blocks per second but last far longer between repairs. If mining speed matters more than longevity, Steel tools at 8.0 efficiency are the better choice for Mekanism players.
