Minecraft wiki entry for Beginner%27s_guide, associated text: Most players should gather at least 19 pieces of cobblestone in total, which is enough to make a furnace and all the basic stone tools including the sword and hoe. Taking extra cobblestone is good in case you use up some of your tools and need to replace them. At your crafting table, you should have all the recipes you need for a full set of stone tools.