Tools, Don't Break.
by Laxystem
Tools, Don't Break keeps a worn-out tool in the inventory by giving it negative durability, so it stops working but is never destroyed.
What it does
Instead of breaking, a tool that reaches zero durability gains negative durability and stays in the inventory. A tool with zero durability no longer works, and the mod marks the item so its components are stored under a tdnb:broken entry inside the custom data component. Broken items sit in the tdnb:removed component type, and repaired items are re-added through tdnb:restored, both of which the mod adds by default. Items in the c:elytra group, including minecraft:elytra and tconstruct:modifiable items, are ignored by the mod completely.
Players can repair a broken tool with a crafting table, an anvil or by smelting nuggets, so the tool returns to use without being replaced. The mod is installed on the server only, and players join without it. It is published for Fabric alone, for Minecraft 1.21.8, and the code is open source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. Fabric API and Fabric Language Kotlin are required.
Key features
Negative durability
A tool that would break gains negative durability and remains in the inventory instead of being destroyed.
Repair by crafting or smelting
Broken tools can be combined at a crafting table, repaired at an anvil or restored by smelting nuggets.
Enchantment handling
Mending, vanishing and curse enchantments are moved to the stored enchantments component when disabled, and can be re-enabled after a repair.
Tool and weapon scope
The behavior applies to minecraft:tool and minecraft:weapon items, while Elytra-type items are left alone.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 2
How it compares
NotFullyBroken is Fabric-only and covers 1.21 – 26.3 with files for client and server, released under the BSD 2-Clause License. Bear's Elytra Replacer is client-side only, works for 1.21.11 and is not open source. Extra Elytra is client and server, runs on 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 and is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tools, Don't Break. | Fabric | 1.21.8 | Server-side only | 2025-08-26 |
| NotFullyBroken | Fabric | 1.21 – 26.3 | Client and server | 2026-07-08 |
| Bear's Elytra Replacer | Fabric | 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2026-03-29 |
| Extra Elytra | Fabric | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-07-17 |
Questions
Does Tools, Don't Break need Fabric API?
Does a player need the mod installed to join a server running it?
Which version does Tools, Don't Break support?
In the catalog
Tools, Don't Break. is one of 29,952 Game mechanics mods on ModsFinder, and one of 19,630 Game mechanics mods for Fabric. 17,695 mods support Minecraft 1.21.8.
Similar mods
What the author says
Instead of breaking, tools will gain negative durability. Tools with ≤ 0 durability won't work at all. Combine your tools in a crafting table or an anvil to repair them, or smelt them into nuggets.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/tdnb
- Owner
- Laxystem
- Published
- 2025-08-23
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-08-26
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15