Let's talk about darts

[SG89]

Hey guys just recently got into darts... Yet another hobby to take all my money. Any suggestions for custom dart makers? Anyone on Instagram or using Big Cartel?

[holeshot]

Don't know much about custom darts but as my grandpa always told me, it ain't the arrow it's the archer. I'm just your basic bar player and use whatever is available and have done well over the years.

[Dr. Snubnose]

I won a set of custom darts over 40 years ago by winning the Dallas Dart Open... The darts which I still use to this day was made from Tungsten 19 grams and was made by Accudart...Doc:)

[greencobra]

you need to try before you buy. go to a store that specializes in darts. they'll have a zillion darts, tips and flytes for you to try of all different materials, weights and styles. when i bought mine it was like buying a car. i was there for hours trying different combos and throwing until i found a set up that worked for me. kook in the local yellow pages.

i've never heard of a custom dart maker. not saying they don't exist. kind of hard to tell him what weight and style you want over the interweb, you need to handle them and throw 'em before you make a selection.

[Bloke]

All I can't say with certainty about darts is they hurt when they go in but hurt even more when you pull them out of the back of your thigh. Ah, hahaha! You gotta love your brothers! :eek:

[Water Bug]

There are custom dart makers out there; however, I recommend you start with a good commercially made set first. Reason why is you don't know what you want in a custom-made set of darts until you've found the weight, barrel shape, weight distribution, grip, shaft, and flights that best fit your throwing style. You also need to decide if you want steel tip or soft tip darts. To me, custom-made darts come after you know what works for you and you want things tweaked to better fit your needs.

As others have suggested, your best bet is to find a true dart shop... a store that specializes in darts and that has a dartboard set up so that you can try them out to find the right dart for your throwing style. You may want to start with a good set of brass darts then work your way up to a more expensive set of tungsten darts. Brass darts are more affordable and allow you to determine what is the right weight, grip, and barrel shape for you. Tungsten darts work well as you get better at playing since they give you the same weight dart in a smaller size so as to fit more darts into the tigher scoring areas on the dratboard, such as the double bull and the treble sections.

My current darts are 28-gram, 90% tungsten Bottelsen Great Whites steel tips with course knurling and grooves, medium-length titanium shafts, and standard Dimplex flights. I also recommend you invest in a high-quality bristle dartboard if you decide to throw steel-tip darts. The bristle dartboard I currently use is a Nodor Supawires.

[OldHoosier62]

Been using the same 2 dart sets since 1983, won them in a NCO club tournament at Camp Lejeune. They are probably a middle of the road set and nowhere near the modern sets.... But they work great for me. They have won me a fair amount of beer and Buffalo wings.

[awa54]

No ideas on custom, but as others have said, there are lots of nice production darts available and all sorts of shafts and flights to customize them...

I had a few sets of tungsten alloy darts a few years back, 19 and 22 gram IIRC, I favor the polycarbonate or CF shafts over metal, they're cheaper to replace *when* they get robin-hooded and don't tear the flights up as badly.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

What about the Velcro dart boards with those "safe" darts that cannot puncture, and also suction cup darts? What do you think of that?

[SG89]

This is what I got. 21 gram. Brass barrels. They fly great.

[SG89]

What about the Velcro dart boards with those "safe" darts that cannot puncture, and also suction cup darts? What do you think of that?

I prefer steel tip darts. When I was a child I had soft tip darts. The steel tip are the most fun imo

[Johnnie1801]

Now you just need beer money and a large hoard of gold rings :D

[Water Bug]

Congratulations! Nice set. The barrels have all sorts of available grip. And, if they fly great for you then they're the darts for you. :)

So, what is the round, "bug-looking" copperish-colored item in the box and to the rear of your darts...? A bottle opener? And, cute dog.

Also, a simple emery board would be a useful item to have... as you play, the tips of the steel point of your darts might get hooked or slightly nicked when they hit the steel wires of a dartboard. An emery board will help restore the tips of the points without excessive wear. And, if you use the emery board as soon as you notice any nicks or hooks, you prevent excessive dulling of the dart tips. And, should your dart tips get really dull, you can use the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker to restore/sharpen the points... check out the owners manual that comes with the Sharpmaker for additional details.

[SG89]

Congratulations! Nice set. The barrels have all sorts of available grip. And, if they fly great for you then they're the darts for you. :)

So, what is the round, "bug-looking" copperish-colored item in the box and to the rear of your darts...? A bottle opener? And, cute dog.

Also, a simple emery board would be a useful item to have... as you play, the tips of the steel point of your darts might get hooked or slightly nicked when they hit the steel wires of a dartboard. An emery board will help restore the tips of the points without excessive wear. And, if you use the emery board as soon as you notice any nicks or hooks, you prevent excessive dulling of the dart tips. And, should your dart tips get really dull, you can use the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker to restore/sharpen the points... check out the owners manual that comes with the Sharpmaker for additional details.

Thanks waterbug :) it's a Tipsy Turtle bottle opener
http://www.knifeguys.us/store/p369/RUST ... ck%29.html

[awa54]

What about the Velcro dart boards with those "safe" darts that cannot puncture, and also suction cup darts? What do you think of that?

If you have ever used decent quality metal darts and a bristle dart board, then anything less will frustrate the **** out of you. Though the old style wood/steel/lead/feather darts are surprisingly good, just wide enough that good players will be annoyed by how much space they block up on the board.

[Water Bug]

Congratulations! Nice set. The barrels have all sorts of available grip. And, if they fly great for you then they're the darts for you. :)

So, what is the round, "bug-looking" copperish-colored item in the box and to the rear of your darts...? A bottle opener? And, cute dog.

Also, a simple emery board would be a useful item to have... as you play, the tips of the steel point of your darts might get hooked or slightly nicked when they hit the steel wires of a dartboard. An emery board will help restore the tips of the points without excessive wear. And, if you use the emery board as soon as you notice any nicks or hooks, you prevent excessive dulling of the dart tips. And, should your dart tips get really dull, you can use the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker to restore/sharpen the points... check out the owners manual that comes with the Sharpmaker for additional details.

Thanks waterbug :) it's a Tipsy Turtle bottle opener
http://www.knifeguys.us/store/p369/RUST ... ck%29.html

You're welcome, and thank you for the link...! Very cool bottle opener.

[top dog]

Spydergirl88,
Darts can be an awesome hobby/obsession. From what I understand,the rules as far as distance and stuff for competition are standard.

Let us know on how you do at the game.

Top Dog

[bearfacedkiller]

I think a quality board is more important that quality darts. I have been playing darts for decades but usually use the crappy bar darts. At home I use an old tungsten set my dad gave me. I play darts at least once a week and have for most of my life but have never been on a league and for some reason never considered nicer darts.

Thanks, now I am gonna spend all day looking at darts online and am probably gonna spend some money that I should be spending on Spydies or diapers.

[SG89]

I think a quality board is more important that quality darts. I have been playing darts for decades but usually use the crappy bar darts. At home I use an old tungsten set my dad gave me. I play darts at least once a week and have for most of my life but have never been on a league and for some reason never considered nicer darts.

Thanks, now I am gonna spend all day looking at darts online and am probably gonna spend some money that I should be spending on Spydies or diapers.

Don't worry darts are cheap as heck compared to Spydies... My set cost $15

[awa54]

I think a quality board is more important that quality darts. I have been playing darts for decades but usually use the crappy bar darts. At home I use an old tungsten set my dad gave me. I play darts at least once a week and have for most of my life but have never been on a league and for some reason never considered nicer darts.

Thanks, now I am gonna spend all day looking at darts online and am probably gonna spend some money that I should be spending on Spydies or diapers.

Don't worry darts are cheap as heck compared to Spydies... My set cost $15

That's a great looking set for $15!!

....as with any luxury hobby item the sky is the limit, there are plenty of $50-$100 sets out there and you can probably pay more if you want to.

Of course MallWart has brass sets for under $10 that stick in to the board just fine