Every brush enchantment, ranked
| Enchantment | Max | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
 Unbreaking | III | Max build | Part of every max brush. |
| Mending | I | Max build | Part of every max brush. |
| Curse of Vanishing | I | Avoid | A curse: it only makes the item worse. |
What matters on a brush
The brush is the archaeology tool. You use it on suspicious sand and suspicious gravel to dig out pottery sherds, armor trims, sniffer eggs and other finds. It only takes Unbreaking, Mending and Curse of Vanishing, so the best brush is simple: Unbreaking III and Mending.
A brush works slowly, but it costs almost nothing: it is quick to craft from a feather, a copper ingot and a stick, so the real question is whether a Mending book belongs on it at all.
Builds for different playstyles
Speed brushing
No enchantment speeds up brushing, so a stack of books won't make digs faster. On a big site, bring two plain brushes instead of one with every book.
Casual archaeology
Unbreaking III alone. It is cheap, you can get the book from an enchanting table, and a new brush costs almost nothing to craft.
Armadillo scutes
No books needed for the odd scute. But if you brush armadillos often for wolf armor, Unbreaking III keeps the brush going much longer.
Sniffer eggs
Warm ocean ruins can give sniffer eggs, which hatch into sniffers that dig up ancient seeds. A plain brush is enough there; bring a Respiration helmet for the dives.
Sherd and trim hunting
Unbreaking III and Mending. If you clear whole trail ruins, the brush sees a lot of use, and Mending saves you from crafting new ones.
Each enchantment on the brush
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 brush. 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 brush. More about Mending.
Where you use a brush
Suspicious sand appears in desert pyramids, desert wells and warm ocean ruins. Suspicious gravel appears in cold ocean ruins and trail ruins, which hold the rarest sherds. Each block gives one item, and breaking it with a tool destroys the find.
You can also brush armadillos for scutes, which you need for wolf armor. So a brush is useful even if you never dig a ruin.
Brushing tips
Look closely before you dig: suspicious blocks look a little different from normal sand and gravel. Clear the blocks around them carefully with a shovel, because one wrong click on a suspicious block destroys its find. Then brush each one until the item pops out.
What you find
Each site has its own loot. Desert pyramids and desert wells give sherds and other desert finds. Warm ocean ruins can give sniffer eggs, while trail ruins hold the most sherds and several armor trims. So brush every suspicious block you find, because you can't tell what is inside until you finish.
How far the books go
Unbreaking III makes the brush last about four times as long on average.
Mending is trickier. Brushing gives no experience, so the brush only repairs when you pick up XP from something else. Hold it in your offhand while you mine or fight, and Mending repairs it along with your other gear.
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.
Which books to get first
Add Unbreaking III first, since it is the easy book. Mending comes later, and only once your armor, pickaxe and weapons have it. A brush is the last thing that needs your rare books.
Mistakes to avoid
- Breaking suspicious blocks with a pickaxe or shovel. The find is lost.
- Spending your first Mending book on a brush. Your armor and tools gain far more from it.
- Expecting the brush to repair while you brush. Archaeology gives no XP, so Mending needs experience from elsewhere.
- Leaving a site half done. Every suspicious block holds a find, so brush them all before you leave.
- Putting Curse of Vanishing on a brush. It disappears if you die on a dig.
Brush enchantment questions
Every enchantment a brush can take in Bedrock 26.60: Unbreaking, Mending.
Quick answers: can you put Mending on a brush?
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 brush. Mending alone costs 2 levels on a fresh brush. 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 brush 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
Can you enchant a brush with Efficiency?
No. The brush only accepts Unbreaking, Mending and Curse of Vanishing.
Is Mending worth it on a brush?
Only for heavy archaeology. Brushing gives no experience, so the brush needs XP from other sources to repair.
Can you repair a brush?
Yes. Combine two brushes on an anvil, or let Mending repair it with experience.
Why did my suspicious sand turn into normal sand?
You finished brushing it. Once the item drops, the block becomes plain sand or gravel, because each block holds only one find.
Does Unbreaking work on a brush?
Yes. Unbreaking III makes the brush last about four times as long on average.
Where do you find suspicious sand?
In desert pyramids, desert wells and warm ocean ruins. Suspicious gravel is in cold ocean ruins and trail ruins.
What is the best brush enchantment?
Unbreaking III. Add Mending if you dig a lot.
What is the max level for every brush enchantment?
Unbreaking III, Mending I.
