Every flint and steel enchantment, ranked
| Enchantment | Max | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
 Unbreaking | III | Max build | Part of every max flint and steel. |
| Mending | I | Max build | Part of every max flint and steel. |
| Curse of Vanishing | I | Avoid | A curse: it only makes the item worse. |
What matters on flint and steel
Flint and steel lights nether portals, TNT, campfires and candles. It only takes Unbreaking, Mending and Curse of Vanishing, so the best build is Unbreaking III and Mending.
It is also cheap: one iron ingot and one flint. So the real question is whether a book is worth it at all.
Builds for different playstyles
Portal builder
Unbreaking III is plenty. Each portal takes one use.
Nether travel kit
Keep flint and steel on you in the Nether. A ghast fireball can break your portal, and you need to relight it to get home. Unbreaking III is plenty for that job.
Campfire cooking
No books needed. Relighting a campfire after you put it out with a shovel costs one use.
TNT and dispenser machines
No books needed. Mending can't repair it inside a dispenser, so a plain one is fine; refill the dispenser when it runs out.
Each enchantment on the flint and steel
Unbreaking III
Unbreaking gives items a chance to not lose durability when used. At level III that means tools skip 75% of durability loss, armor 30%. The book costs 3 levels on a fresh flint and steel. More about Unbreaking.
Mending
Mending repairs an item with experience orbs. At level I that means each experience point you pick up repairs 2 durability. The book costs 2 levels on a fresh flint and steel. More about Mending.
How far the books go
Flint and steel has 64 durability and loses 1 each time you light something. Unbreaking III stretches that to about 256 uses on average.
Mending only repairs it while it sits in your hand or offhand as you pick up XP. Most players never use it often enough for that to matter.
Lighting a nether portal
A portal frame needs obsidian, at least 4 blocks wide and 5 tall, and the corners are optional. Use flint and steel on the inside of the frame to light it. Each lit portal costs one use, so even a plain flint and steel lights dozens.
Other uses
Flint and steel also lights campfires that went out, candles, candle cakes and TNT. It sets netherrack on fire for a fireplace that burns forever. Unlike a fire charge, it does all of that many times over.
Is it worth a book?
For most players, Unbreaking III is the only book worth it. Flint and steel sees little use, and a new one costs almost nothing. Mending only makes sense if you light fires every day, for example on a server with many portals.
Fire charges instead
A fire charge lights a portal or TNT once, and then it is gone. It suits a single portal, while flint and steel lasts. Dispensers can use either, which is handy for TNT machines.
Where to get the books
You need 2 books for this build. Mending is a treasure enchantment, so the enchanting table won't give it. Plan to trade or loot for it first. Here is where each one comes from:
- Unbreaking III: the enchanting table, librarian villagers, random chest loot and fishing.
- Mending: librarian villagers, trial chamber vaults, random chest loot and fishing.
Librarians are the most reliable source for exact books, because you can reroll them until they offer the one you want. The trading hall guide shows how, and the villager trade tool lists the prices. Combine the books in the cheapest anvil order so no step becomes too expensive.
The enchanting table won't take flint and steel at all, so every enchantment on it comes from books on an anvil. You can still enchant plain books at the table and apply them here.
Which books to get first
Put Unbreaking III on first. Add Mending only if you have spare books after your armor, weapons and tools.
A new flint and steel costs only an iron ingot and a flint. So weigh that against the levels below before you spend a rare book on it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using your first Mending book here instead of on your armor or tools.
- Lighting a nether portal next to wooden builds. Fire can spread to nearby wood.
- Putting it in a dispenser and expecting Mending to work. It only repairs while you hold it.
- Using it near a creeper. Flint and steel lights a creeper's fuse.
- Leaving the Nether portal unlit after a ghast attack. Carry flint and steel or a fire charge, or you may be stuck on the wrong side.
- Setting netherrack on fire right under your feet. It burns until you put it out.
- Lighting fire in a forest. Fire spreads to leaves and logs and can burn a whole area.
Flint and Steel enchantment questions
Every enchantment flint and steel can take in Java 26.3: Unbreaking, Mending.
Quick answers: can you put Mending on flint and steel?
See also the full list of incompatible enchantments and the god gear command generator.
Putting the books on
Unbreaking III alone costs 3 levels on a fresh flint and steel. Mending alone costs 2 levels on a fresh flint and steel. Both together cost 6 levels, about 54 experience points if you spend them as you earn them. Unbreaking III first costs 3 + 3 levels. Mending first costs 2 + 4. Merging the two books first, then adding the result, costs 2 + 6. The cheapest route costs 6.
Afterwards the flint and steel has been on the anvil 2 times, so its prior work penalty is 3. Any later anvil repair starts from that cost, which is one more reason to let Mending do the repairs. Check your own item in the enchantment calculator if it already has anvil uses.
Questions
Is Mending worth it on flint and steel?
Only if you use it a lot. A fresh one is cheap to craft.
Can flint and steel have Unbreaking?
Yes. Unbreaking III makes it last about four times as long.
Does Mending work on flint and steel?
Yes, while you hold it in your hand or offhand and pick up experience.
Can a dispenser use flint and steel?
Yes. A dispenser with flint and steel lights fire or TNT in front of it, and it uses up durability as it goes.
Why won't my nether portal light?
Check the frame. It must be a full obsidian rectangle at least 4 wide and 5 tall, with an empty inside. Then use flint and steel on the inside of the frame.
Can flint and steel light soul fire?
Yes. Use it on soul sand or soul soil and the fire burns blue.
How do you make flint and steel?
Combine one iron ingot and one flint in a crafting grid.
What is the best flint and steel enchantment?
Unbreaking III. Mending works too, but it is rarely worth a rare book.
How many uses does flint and steel have?
64. Unbreaking III raises that to about 256 on average.
What is the max level for every flint and steel enchantment?
Unbreaking III, Mending I.
