Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Axe in Minecraft: Tiers, Damage and Uses
An axe chops wood and plant blocks fast, and on Java it hits harder than a sword but swings slower. Any axe hit on a raised shield disables it for 5 seconds. Axes also strip logs and scrape wax and rust off copper.
What is a axe used for?
- Chopping logs, planks, chests and other wooden blocks
- Disabling shields with a crushing blow
- Stripping logs and scraping copper
- Breaking melons and pumpkins fastest
How do the axe tiers compare?
| Tier | Damage (Java) | Damage (Bedrock) | Uses (Java) | Uses (Bedrock) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | 7 | 4 | 59 | 60 |
| Gold | 7 | 4 | 32 | 33 |
| Stone | 9 | 5 | 131 | 132 |
| Copper | 9 | 5 | 190 | 191 |
| Iron | 9 | 6 | 250 | 251 |
| Diamond | 9 | 7 | 1561 | 1562 |
| Netherite | 10 | 8 | 2031 | 2032 |
On Java, axes swing slowly: 0.8 attacks per second for wood, stone and copper, 0.9 for iron, and 1 for gold, diamond and netherite. Each hit costs 2 durability, but stripping and scraping cost only 1. On Bedrock axes deal less damage than swords.
How do you craft one?
Craft it with 3 units of the tier's material in an L shape with 2 sticks as the handle. Wood uses planks, stone uses cobblestone, cobbled deepslate or blackstone, and copper, iron, gold and diamond use ingots or gems. Every tool comes in seven tiers. Higher tiers last longer and work faster, and gold is the odd one out: very fast and easy to enchant, but it breaks after 32 uses on Java (33 on Bedrock). Netherite tools are not crafted; you upgrade diamond ones at a smithing table with a netherite ingot and an upgrade template. Repair any tool in an anvil with its tier's material, where each unit restores 25% of its durability, or combine two damaged tools of the same kind. Mending repairs them with experience.
Related pages
See all tool tiers and axe enchantments.
Does ArtemisPvP have its own gear?
Frequently asked questions
How long does an axe disable a shield?
5 seconds.
What is the best axe?
Netherite: it lasts 2,031 uses on Java and mines faster than every tier except gold.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.