The bug
When breaking a block with an enchanted book with Silk Touch on it, the broken block will drop as itself, as if the enchanted book was a tool other than a shovel or pickaxe.
This is unexpected, as the enchantment on books did not actually have any effect when using the book itself in previous versions, and is stored in the StoredEnchantments NBT tag instead of the tag that is used for "proper" enchantments.
Also, when breaking ice with such a book, it leaves water behind. Normally, when breaking ice with silk touch, it would always leave air behind.
To reproduce
Get a silk touch book
Break an ice block
→ ❌ The ice block drops, and in its place is a water source
Original description
Setup: Get an ice block in the world and hold an enchanted book with Silk Touch. Be in Survival Mode. Break the ice block.
Expected behavior: Either the ice block is replaced with water or the ice block drops as an item.
Observed behavior: The ice block is replaced with water and drops as an item.
Linked issues
is duplicated by 9
MC-155145
If you hold Silk touch book in had and break grass you will get grass
Resolved
MC-156136
Silk touch
Resolved
MC-156356
Fragile blocks drop when mined with silk touch enchantment book
Resolved
MC-156557
The silk touch enchantment book when you mine a 'silk touch affected block' would give you the actul block rather then it's by-product.
Resolved
MC-156717
Silk touch enchanted book mined blocks drop themselves instead
Resolved
Comments 7
Head out to the feedback website is you think this should be staying as a nice addition to the game.
Clarification: Any block that need a specific tool enchanted with Silk Touch to drop itself is unaffected by this.
Can confirm. Also works on leaves, grass blocks, melons, and glass, but not stone. Seems any block that drops something when broken by hand will drop its silk-touch equivalent when broken using a Silk Touch book.