When purchasing a new darts set, whether it is a cheap set of brass barrel darts or an expensive tungsten darts set, chances are they will come with steel tips. These are the darts you will need to use when playing on a standard cork and bristle dartboard, most commonly found in bars, pubs and clubs.
Regardless of how cheap or expensive your darts set is, you will want to take care of them and make sure they are good to use every time you throw. One of the most important aspect when playing darts is being able to feel confident your darts are going to stick in the board successfully. The last thing you want is to throw for a crucial double and hit it, only to see your dart drop out of the board and down on the floor. This situation can easily be avoided by sharpening your darts and doing it properly.
The first thing to remember and something which may surprise a few people, is that you do not want your darts to have a very sharp point. A sharply pointed dart can lead to bounce-outs and it can also ruin your dartboard, by damaging the wires when they come into contact with.
What we are aiming for when sharpening a darts set, is to get a nice rounded point on the steel tips, much like you find on the end of a ballpoint pen.
When the point of the steel tips begins to flatten, you should get a sharpening stone, which are shaped like a cylinder and concave at the end. These can easily be purchased online and will become your essential piece of equipment when you feel the tips on your darts are beginning to flatten.
Firstly, check your tungsten or brass barrel darts for any burs by running a finger nail along the steel tips. If you find any, you will need to remove them by laying the steel tip of the dart in the concave section of the sharpening stone and slowly
rotating it. Do this for a few seconds and then run your nail along the tip again, it should now be smooth.
To ensure the end of the steel tips are in the best condition to land in the dartboard, hold the dart vertically and press the tip lightly against the sharpening stone. You do not need to press down heavily on the dart, as this could damage the dart and result in a blunted tip. With the steel tip pressed against the sharpening stone, start spinning the dart in a circular motion. Do this for a few seconds and carefully check the end of the tip with your finger. If it feels nice and rounded, you have achieved a perfect steel tip for your darts. If it still feels sharp or flat, continue with the same procedure for a few more seconds and then check again.
Once you have your darts nice and rounded, make sure you check them every time you take them out for play. It doesn’t take long to round them off nicely and this will keep both your darts and dartboard in good condition.
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