How to Make an Anvil

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft an anvil with 3 blocks of iron and 4 iron ingots - 31 ingots total: iron blocks across the top row, one ingot in the center, three ingots along the bottom. Use it to repair items, combine enchantments and rename gear, but each use has a 12% chance to damage it and Survival work costs cap at 39 levels.

What you need

3 blocks of iron (27 ingots)
4 iron ingots
XP levels for repairs and combining

Step by step

Smelt the iron. You need 31 iron ingots: 27 for the three blocks of iron plus 4 loose ingots. A caving trip or a basic iron farm covers it.
Craft 3 blocks of iron. Fill the 3x3 grid with iron ingots three times.
Craft the anvil. Place the 3 iron blocks across the top row, 1 iron ingot in the center slot, and 3 iron ingots along the bottom row.
Use it. The left slot takes the item, the middle slot the material: another item to combine, an enchanted book to apply, or repair material (diamonds for diamond gear, iron ingots for iron gear, and so on). Renaming goes in the text field.
Mind the costs. Every operation costs XP levels, and repeated work on the same item gets more expensive each time - over 39 levels Survival shows 'Too Expensive!'. Combine books onto each other first to keep costs down.

Java vs Bedrock

Identical in Java and Bedrock. Anvils degrade with use (12% chance per use: anvil, chipped, damaged, then breaks) and can be found damaged in woodland mansion forge rooms. Falling anvils hurt whatever they land on.

Versions: The anvil was added in 1.4.2 (12w41a, Pretty Scary Update) with repair, rename and combine functions. Its 39-level Survival cap and degradation mechanics are unchanged since.

Frequently asked questions

Is an anvil worth 31 iron?

Yes - it is the only way to apply enchanted books, combine enchantments, repair named gear and rename items. One anvil lasts a long time.

Why does it say 'Too Expensive!'?

The job would cost 40+ levels. Work the item less: combine books with each other before applying them, and avoid unnecessary renames - each anvil job raises the item's prior-work penalty.

Can anvils break?

Yes - 12% chance to degrade per use, and falls damage them too. A damaged anvil works identically until it breaks after the third stage.