If you haven't heard of the mod Tinkers Construct - go play it now! It is an awesome mod that revolutionized some aspects of how tools work. It did however abandon the use of experience so this mod Magnanimous Tools Mod 1.7.10, 1.7.2 adds a small toolset of the second tier tools (hammer, excavator) as well as a sword that does added damage based on the players experience.

Download Magnanimous Tools Mod 1.7.10, 1.7.2