How to Restore and Unlock a Guarded Tool

Tool Lockout Behavior

When an item's durability drops below the configured limit, Durability Guard Mod completely prevents you from using it. This is intended behavior designed to protect the item from permanently shattering. Even though the tool is still in your hotbar or inventory, you cannot swing it, harvest blocks with it, or strike enemies with it until its durability is raised back above the threshold.

Repairing Your Gear to Regain Use

To restore full functionality to your locked equipment, you must repair it using standard vanilla Minecraft repair mechanics:

1. Anvil Repair: Place the locked item in an anvil alongside its corresponding repair material (such as iron ingots for iron tools or diamonds for diamond gear) or an identical item. Spend the required experience levels to restore its durability points.

2. Mending: If your tool is enchanted with Mending, hold it in your off-hand or main hand while collecting experience orbs from smelting, breeding, or mining ores that drop XP. As the tool absorbs experience, its durability points will increase.

3. Grindstone or Crafting Grid: If the item does not have valuable enchantments, combine it with a matching tool in a crafting grid or grindstone to merge their durability pools.

Once the durability points rise back above the guard limit, the tool unlocks automatically and is ready for use.