The Original Darts News & Information Web Site.. online since 1994! |
DARTS BASICS
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BRISTLE DARTBOARDS Tournament quality bristle dart boards are made of natural sisal rope fiber. Sisal fiber is made from the leaves of the Agave plant, the same plant species from which tequila is made! These rope fibers are compressed under tons of pressure, banded with steel, and bonded to a sturdy flat backboard. The final effect is that of a tightly compressed brush, which will catch and hold dart points, then close up when the darts are removed. Bristle dartboards will accommodate both steel tip darts and soft-tip darts (if long points are used). Keep dart boards dry, and never apply any type of liquid to a bristle dartboard, as water of other liquids will immediately ruin the dartboard. (Editor's note: No matter what you hear at a bar, applying any liquid will quickly & permanently ruin a bristle dartboard. Over the years I've personally seen dozens of boards destroyed this way. Yet darters keep doing this, because for an few hours, it seems to work. Then the board's fiber pulls loose, forms giant blisters, and falls apart.) Darts may be left in a dart-board for brief periods of time, such as a day or two. If steel-tip darts are left in the board for extended periods (weeks or more) the dart points may rust and leave permanent stains in the bristles. The English company NODOR first developed bristle dartboards in the 1930's, and introduced them commercially in 1936. Before that time, dartboards were generally made of elm wood, although the NODOR company also made a plasticene dartboard. Note: It is a common misconception that dartboards are made of animal hair, such as pig bristles, camel hair, or horse hair. This is a myth... No such animal fiber boards have ever been made! Also, the spelling "Bristol Dartboard" is incorrect. The name "Bristle Dartboard" refers to the sisal rope material that the board is made of, not the city "Bristol". Darts setup information, including mounting information such as dartboard height and throwing distance measurements, are included at the bottom of this web page. DARTS Compared to many other sports, a a fairly small amount of equipment is required to play Darts. Darts sets generally consist of 3 darts barrels, with points (usually of steel or plastic), as well as shafts and flights to help stabilize the path of the dart when thrown or tossed. Occasionally dart barrels are sold by themselves, but most major dart manufacturers market their darts products as complete sets, with barrels, points, flights, and shafts all pre-assembled, or at least in the same package. Some darts sets come packaged in carry cases with storage room for extra darts accessories. Dart barrels are sometimes referred to as "dart pins" or "darts pins" in some parts of Asia. Each person should have one set of 3 darts. Each person throws 3 darts, then removes them before the next person throws. There should NEVER be more than 3 darts in a dartboard at one time. It is difficult to share one set of darts, as it drastically slows down the game. Darts is not a game where blocking scoring areas by opponents is allowed. And having more than three darts in the board means more damaged darts & "robin hoods" due to hits from following darts. As darters have different hand and finger sizes, so darts are not one-size-fits-all. That is another reason why it is often hard to pick just the right dart from a catalog or online site. It is really important to try the darts before buying, to ensure that the "fit" is just right for your hand and grip style. When buying darts, visit a darts shop that has boards setup for trying out the various darts styles available. Brass DartsThe least expensive type of metal dart. ( $5-$20 )Brass is a fairly dense (heavy) metal, composed mostly of copper and zinc. It is relatively inexpensive, and easy to machine. However, it is so soft that the machined "grip" may quickly wear down, changing the "feel" of the dart. Brass Darts are commonly mass-produced on automated lathes, so the quality and consistency of the machining may vary considerably. Brass darts are often used as "house darts" due to low price. Nickel/Silver Darts( $10-$25 ) Tungsten DartsTungsten is an extremely dense metal, heavier than lead for the same size item. Tungsten darts are considerably more dense than Brass or Nickel/Silver Darts. Higher density materials result in darts with smaller diameter, better "feel", and tighter possible groups on the dart-board. Tungsten is also very durable, so the machined grip will not wear down as rapidly as on Brass or Nickel/Silver Darts. For darters, having all of the dart's mass concentrated between the fingertips greatly enhances control of the dart. Tungsten is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the grip will last much longer. On softer metal darts, the grooves and rough knurling may wear down fairly quickly from skin acid, friction, and hitting other darts. The billets that tungsten darts are made from consist of a variety of metals, including tungsten. To manufacture the blanks for machining tungsten darts, tungsten powder and other metals are blended and bonded by heat and pressure, resulting in a "sintered" material that we refer to as Nickel-Tungsten (or Copper-Tungsten, etc.) Common materials include tungsten, nickel, copper, and iron. The exact mix of materials varies considerably from one company to another, based on their requirements for density, cost, and ease of machining. Tungsten darts cost more for several reasons: The metal is expensive, and since it is very dense, tungsten requires more effort to fabricate into darts. There are 4 general categories of Tungsten darts. Typical price ranges are listed, but of course prices at different shops may vary considerably. 1. 50% to 70% Tungsten- $15 to $50 (commonly sold at discount stores) Discount outlets often sell low-density Tungsten darts without specifying the percentage of Tungsten content, instead just stating "Tungsten Darts". Such darts are often cheap Chinese imports with very low tungsten content. Look for the percentage of tungsten on the packaging, a higher number means that the dart is more dense, and generally better quality. Tungsten prices have gone up in recent years, raising the price of quality darts sets. However, in order to offer "bargain" prices, many sporting good stores & discount outlets now sell cheap "Tungsten Darts" that actually contain only a tiny trace of tungsten in them. Many of these cheap sets are about the same density as brass (or less), but cost quite a bit more. Always look for the percentage of tungsten on the package, and buy from a reliable vendor. There are also a small number of Copper-Tungsten darts available. This is a much softer material, with about 70% Tungsten content. They are generally less expensive than Nickel-Tungsten darts. Some darters, especially old-timers, like the grip of these darts as the metal surface develops microscopic pits after they have been thrown for awhile. Copper tungsten darts have become much less common in recent years, with Nickel/Tungsten darts becoming the primary type of high-density darts. SHAFTS Shafts serve to hold the flights away from the center of mass of the dart barrel. The shaft acts as a lever to make the flight more effective at resisting sideways motion. A longer shaft will produce about the same effect as a larger flight. There are a plethora of different shaft designs, but all serve essentially this same purpose. SHAFTS - PlasticInexpensive, and available in many colors, but break fairly easily. Good shafts until you start throwing tight groups and breaking lots of shafts. Materials are usually polycarbonate or nylon, some have replaceable tops for greater longevity. Priced from $1 to $3. SHAFTS - CompositeComposite type shafts, like the Alamo or Quiver, have plastic bases that thread into the dart, combined with aluminum or other metal alloy tops that hold the flight. These are excellent shafts, quite durable, and will not vibrate loose as easily as solid aluminum shafts. Generally available with replaceable tops for economy and convenience. Most styles priced at $2 to $6. SHAFTS - Solid AluminumMore rigid and durable than Plastic or Composite Shafts, in many colorful styles, some with decorative engraved stripes, flutes, or spirals. May tend to vibrate loose, especially on heavy darts. When used with thick flights, such as Dimplex or Nylon, the slots may need to be pried open slightly, with a dart tool or knife blade. Will normally bend instead of breaking when hit; just straighten for more use. Priced from $2 to $6. Note: Aluminum shafts often vibrate loose when playing, so rubber O-ring lock washers are highly recommended. This only occurs when there is a metal-to-metal contact, so plastic shafts do not normally need the lock washers. SHAFTS - SpinningA variety of shaft styles are designed to allow flights to rotate out of the way when struck by another dart. Spinning shafts do nothing to improve the flight of the dart through the air, but they do allow tighter groups by allowing darts flights align with each other in the dartboard. Also, these shaft will usually reduce torn flights and "robin-hooded" shafts. Typically priced from $2 to $12. RULES Rules to the Darts Game of '01, (pronounced " Oh-One")The game of '01 is the classic game of Darts, played world-wide. The "01" refers to the fact that the game is played from a certain number of points, always ending in "01". For example, the common tournament game of 501 (pronounced "Five-Oh-One"), is played from 501 points. Other variations are 301, 601, 801, 1001. The higher point games are usually played by teams.
Rick's Darts & Games America's Oldest Darts Pro Shop! ..under same ownership, since 1974! Throwing Tips & Habits to Avoi There are a number of basics to keep in-mind, including several bad habits that you should avoid: The few inches gained by leaning over the line are simply not worth the huge loss of balance and stability. Plus, leaning lowers the shoulder, forcing one to throw upwards, fighting gravity. Leaning also usually means tensing the major muscles of the body to preserve balance. This often results in a jerky release and poor follow-through, since the body is already off-balance. A number of long-time players report back, knee, ankle, and foot pain, from spending many years standing on one foot while playing darts. Even in the short run, leaning to throw will cause minor pain in the small of the back. Especially for older players, a firm stance will stop this discomfort, both while playing and the next morning! Think about it.. In what other sport would you drink a few beers, try to stand balanced "tiptoe" on one foot, and then try to consistently hit a small target with a sharp pointed object? In EVERY competitive sport, Accuracy begins with a Solid Stance!
Leaning, or rocking, is often done in an attempt to get a harder throw. The dartboard really does not care how hard you throw the dart. The only important thing is how accurately you throw it.! Even a light throw, if accompanied by a smooth and exteded follow-through, will easily reach the dart board and score. Such wasted motion can really be a bad habit, as it affects the entire body and throw. Lifting the foot even partway from the floor deprives the body of good balance during the crucial moment of follow-through. The strength required to reach the board with any normal dart is minimal, and for best accuracy should be provided only by the fingers, wrist, and forearm. After the dart leaves your hand, let your hand and arm continue on towards the dartboard, ending with full extension, and the fingers pointing at the target. Imagine that you are bowling.. after letting go of the ball, you still must follow-through! The same applies to Golf, Billiards, Basketball, and most every other sport. Follow-through after realeasing the dart, ending up with your fingers fully extended, as though touching the spot that you want to hit. Missing the board or hitting too low often cause beginners to think that more power is needed. This is rarely true, as one can tell by the fact that the missed darts usually hit hard enough to stick in the wall, which is quite a bit harder% |