Dart Parts and Their Functions
Darts are made up of four parts: the tip, the barrel, the shaft, and the flight. Each part has a distinct purpose and can affect the overall performance of a dart. Understanding the function of each part will assist darts players in selecting the best set for their playing style. As you read this, we'll show you what each part of dart is and what it does.
Dart Tip
Dart points are available in plastic (soft tip) or steel (steel tip). Steel and soft-tip darts can both be used on "bristle" dart boards, but steel-tip darts should never be used on soft-tip dart boards due to irreparable damage.
Some dart points can be removed, while others are permanently attached. Darts can also have fixed or moving points. On impact, moveable point darts allow the points to retract into the barrels.
This little retraction allows the dart to continue ahead when it hits a hard surface, such as the dart board's wire, preventing bounce-outs.
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Dart Barrel
Dart barrels are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, materials, and grips. The barrel determines the overall weight of a dart. Typical barrel weights are 16-30 grams, but heavier and lighter darts are available. Wood, plastic, brass, nickel-silver, and tungsten are common barrel materials. Wood and plastic barrels have been replaced with brass, nickel-silver, and tungsten barrels.
Barrel grips (the texture of the barrel) slowly fade off over time due to rust. Nickel-silver barrels are corrosion resistant, tougher, and more expensive than brass barrels. Tungsten barrels are the most desirable barrel material. Tungsten is thick, allowing for thin, elegant barrels that are still heavy. Smaller tungsten barrels allow for closer dart grouping. Most tungsten barrels are indicated by a tungsten percentage, often 80-90 percent. For a given weight, a higher percentage allows a thinner and smaller barrel.
A variety of grips are available for the barrels. Some ringed barrels can accommodate rubber o-rings in the inset barrel rings to improve grip. Knurled grips can be fine or coarse. Choosing the correct grip for your style requires trial and error.
Dart Shaft
Dart shafts, like barrels, exist in various materials, lengths, and styles. Aluminum, plastic, nylon, and titanium are the most common shaft materials. Shaft length affects dart flying stability. In addition to crowding, longer shafts allow a dart to "fishtail" in the air, destabilizing an otherwise perfect throw. If your darts "fish-tail," try shorter shafts.
Replaceable tops, changeable lengths, and spinning shafts are examples of specialty shaft styles. These shafts let incoming darts pass without bouncing off other darts or injuring other flights, allowing for tighter groupings.
The shaft-to-barrel fit might weaken with time, generating unneeded dart flying instabilities. In this situation, a rubber o-ring (also known as a "dart washer") acts as a lock-washer between the shaft and the barrel.
Dart Flights
Dart flights come in various shapes and materials. The most popular shapes are standard and slim, with less common shapes like pear, vortex, vector, and kite. Smooth, nylon, Dimplex, etc. Smaller, smoother flights reduce drag and allow darts to fly quicker, but they are less tolerant of changes in angle of attack. Larger, more textured flights produce greater drag and are more forgiving of angle fluctuations. Smaller flights, such as slims, are utilized with lighter darts and shorter shafts, whereas larger flights are used with heavier darts and longer shafts. Of course, there are exceptions, and many skilled darters utilize long, heavy darts with slim flights.
Conclusion
To master the game of darts, you must have a thorough understanding of the dynamics of each set, dart, and, occasionally, its science. Keep these points in mind the next time you play darts, and use them to improve your game. As you can see, there is more to learning the game than merely practicing and playing every day.