Yes
My earlier post was wrong, sorry, it was launching an old version and I didn't realise.
What you need to do for 1.6.1 is a little more complex.
First, you'll need to launch from the launcher. Assuming Minecraft launches ok, you'll get a load of output in the Development Console. What you need to look for is a line that looks a bit like this (yes, it's very long!):
java -Xmx1G -Djava.library.path=%APPDATA%\.minecraft\versions\1.6.1\1.6.1-natives-10107774015424 -cp %APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\net\sf\jopt-simple\jopt-simple\4.5\jopt-simple-4.5.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\paulscode\codecjorbis\20101023\codecjorbis-20101023.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\paulscode\codecwav\20101023\codecwav-20101023.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\paulscode\libraryjavasound\20101123\libraryjavasound-20101123.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\paulscode\librarylwjglopenal\20100824\librarylwjglopenal-20100824.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\paulscode\soundsystem\20120107\soundsystem-20120107.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\org\lwjgl\lwjgl\lwjgl\2.9.0\lwjgl-2.9.0.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\org\lwjgl\lwjgl\lwjgl_util\2.9.0\lwjgl_util-2.9.0.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\argo\argo\2.25_fixed\argo-2.25_fixed.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\org\bouncycastle\bcprov-jdk15on\1.47\bcprov-jdk15on-1.47.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\google\guava\guava\14.0\guava-14.0.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\org\apache\commons\commons-lang3\3.1\commons-lang3-3.1.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\commons-io\commons-io\2.4\commons-io-2.4.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\net\java\jinput\jinput\2.0.5\jinput-2.0.5.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\net\java\jutils\jutils\1.0.0\jutils-1.0.0.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\libraries\com\google\code\gson\gson\2.2.2\gson-2.2.2.jar;%APPDATA%\.minecraft\versions\1.6.1\1.6.1.jar net.minecraft.client.main.Main --username %YOUR_USERNAME% --session token:%SOME_TOKEN% --version 1.6.1 --gameDir %APPDATA%\.minecraft --assetsDir %APPDATA%\.minecraft\assets
I've edited mine a bit to remove system-specific data, it'll probably start with something like
Running C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe
Close Minecraft, but not the launcher. You will see some lines at the end of the Dev Console that read something like
Game ended with no troubles detected (exit code 0)
Deleting C:\Users\fredley\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\versions\1.6.1\1.6.1-natives-11569750504590
Couldn't delete C:\Users\fredley\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\versions\1.6.1\1.6.1-natives-11569750504590 - scheduling for deletion upon exit
This is obviously a problem! Make a copy of the 1.6.1-natives-11569750504590 folder (just make a copy in the same folder called 1.6.1-natives-backup in the same folder). Edit your command so that it uses your backup copies (just paste it in a text editor and find-replace 11569750504590 with backup).
Don't use my command, as it will not work. Account/session data is in the command so you must use your own copy as generated by the launcher.
Copy your entire, edited command (excluding Running at the start), and save it somewhere. You can then launch from cmd using this command at any time.
If you want to have an icon to launch Minecraft it's as simple as right-clicking your desktop, selecting New > Shortcut and entering this command as the 'file'.
Yes, using the anvil can damage and eventually break it.
Each use has a 12% chance of damaging the anvil. Damaging the anvil changes it to slightly damaged the first time, very damaged the second time and breaks it the third time (though the item is still upgraded). This means an anvil will last, on average, 25 uses.
Best Answer
What you're describing is an old bug - however there are still mechanics that cover this.
According to the minecraft gampedia renaming an item will not increase it's cost to do something else to it, however if you rename and do somethig else, to it, it's cost will still increase as if you were not naming it at all.
In survival, you can only work an item 6 times, including repairs (but as I stated not including renames alone), with the xp cost increasing each time.
In creative, you can work it 31 times before even then you will be unable to work it again (noting that if you work it this many time you will loose the ability to even rename it).
It's worth noting currently, the only vanilla way to reset this xp multiplier is to merge it with another damaged tool in a standard crafting table, however this will remove all enchants. Repairing it with another tool in an anvil will not work as that will take the highest xp value.