Can you dig?
One of the coolest features of Minecraft is that when you see a landscape made up of blocks, you can easily modify it to your liking. In other games, this is hardly possible since the terrain remains fixed and players have to make do with what exists. Here, everything can be reshaped endlessly: change, break, create—whatever your heart desires. It’s clear that executing a large-scale project will take considerable time and effort, but there’s also a nice bonus: a fantastic tool to assist you. Introducing our item of the week – the shovel!
Shovels were introduced in Minecraft Pocket Edition quite some time ago, back in version 0.31 during the Indev phase. Initially, they could only be crafted from one material—iron. However, after a couple of weeks, more types were added: wooden, stone, and diamond shovels. A day or two later, a golden shovel was included as well. I’m sure most players are familiar with the crafting recipe for this item, but just in case, let me remind you. You’ll need two sticks placed vertically and a block corresponding to the type of shovel you want, whether it’s wooden, iron, gold, or diamond.
The primary function of the shovel is to quickly excavate specific blocks. It’s most commonly used for gravel, sand, and dirt. Additionally, it speeds up the collection of clay, sand, and snow. Higher-tier tools made from superior materials perform their tasks much faster. For instance, consider a snow block. Breaking it manually takes 1 second; using a wooden shovel reduces that to 0.2 seconds, while a stone shovel does it in 0.1 seconds, and super-fast iron, gold, or diamond tools accomplish it in just 0.05 seconds! DIG!
The higher the level of the shovel, the longer its lifespan. A wooden shovel can handle a stack of blocks, a stone one can manage two stacks, an iron one four, and a diamond shovel can withstand a whopping 25! What about the golden shovel? Unfortunately, it can only manage around half that amount. It’s more of a status symbol than a practical tool. Well, if it comforts you, it breaks that half-stack fairly quickly. Sigh…
In Minecraft, shovels have a wide range of functionalities. Besides digging, you can create a grass path by right-clicking on grass. There’s a common misconception that grass paths allow for faster movement, but that’s not true. They do look charming, though, and mobs cannot spawn on them. Furthermore, a shovel can serve as a weapon. While it’s not the best option, it’s certainly better than fighting a spider barehanded. Or you can use it to stoke a furnace.
In the real world, shovels have been around since at least Neolithic times. Back then, people used them to cultivate and move soil. They were often made from animal bones. Throughout history, all major excavations were done manually to avoid damaging valuable artifacts, requiring a significant workforce. Given that this work is labor-intensive and time-consuming, there was a need to design tools that were as user-friendly as possible, leading engineers to invest considerable time into “shovel science.” They continually modified designs to achieve maximum efficiency.
You might find it interesting how different types of shovels vary. There’s the spade, which is rounded and pointed, designed for digging, and the scoop shovel, intended for moving already dug material. They feature slightly curved shapes to prevent spillage. In Minecraft Bedrock, there’s no distinction between types, so you can name yours however you like. Mine, for example, is named Michael. Well, thank you for your attention, but now I must get back to Michael.
