3x3 Pickaxe
by NullByte
3x3 Pickaxe, a Forge tool mod for 1.12.2, adds a steel pickaxe that mines a 3x3 area in one swipe.
What it does
The steel 3x3 mining pickaxe breaks every block in a three-by-three area per use, while its durability drops by only 1 per use, even though several blocks are mined. Its mining speed and harvest level match diamond tools, so it is fast and effective on normal blocks and does not need a higher tier to work. When the pickaxe reaches its last durability it does not vanish; it becomes broken and cannot be used until it is repaired.
Servers that run it need every player to install it too. It is published for Forge only, and its files cover just the 1.12.2 game version, with 0.0.3-alpha.1 as the latest file on the beta channel. Its code is under the MIT License, but the project is not open source.
An optional repair recipe, available when Techguns is installed, allows the broken pickaxe to be restored through the Techguns Blast Furnace. Without Techguns the mod works on its own, and the recipe is simply absent.
Key features
3x3 area mining
Each swing breaks every block in a three-by-three area, so clearing a wall or floor takes fewer actions.
Low durability cost
The tool loses only 1 durability per use, even when the area contains several blocks.
Diamond-level stats
Mining speed and harvest level match diamond tools, so it handles ores and stone at the same tier.
Broken state at zero durability
A depleted pickaxe stays in the inventory as a broken item that must be repaired before it works again.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Clearing mining tunnels
Players digging long corridors through stone can remove a full three-block-wide strip with each pass.
Who it’s for: Players who want a mid-game mining tool on Forge 1.12.2 and server owners who want a simple progression-friendly tool that does not need extra content.
How it compares
Fortune 10 Pickaxe is a Forge mod for 1.12.2 that also runs on client and server, but it is released under a custom license and is not open source. Optimized Mining is server-side only and uses All rights reserved terms, so players join without installing it, and it is also for 1.12.2. MorePickaxes covers 1.12.2 under All rights reserved terms, runs on client and server, and is not open source.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3x3 Pickaxe | Forge | 1.12.2 | Client and server | 2026-01-08 |
| Fortune 10 Pickaxe | Forge | 1.12.2 | Client and server | 2025-06-12 |
| Optimized Mining | Forge | 1.12.2 | Server-side only | 2026-04-03 |
| MorePickaxes | Forge | 1.12.2 | Client and server | 2026-07-26 |
Questions
Does 3x3 Pickaxe need to be installed on both sides?
Can 3x3 Pickaxe be used without Techguns?
Is 3x3 Pickaxe available for versions other than 1.12.2?
In the catalog
3x3 Pickaxe is one of 17,631 Equipment mods on ModsFinder, and one of 9,216 Equipment mods for Forge. 2,920 mods support Minecraft 1.12.2.
More from NullByte
Similar mods
What the author says
A small utility mod that adds a steel 3x3 mining pickaxe with a simple progression-friendly design and optional integration with Techguns.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/3x3_pickaxe
- Owner
- NullByte
- Published
- 2026-01-08
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-01-08
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15