| You could really be good at throwing darts. You | | | | will not stay round, it will become flat. This |
| could have fantastic scores. It really wouldn't | | | | flat-tipped dart will simply bounce right off the |
| matter though if your darts keep bouncing off | | | | dartboard, whether it strikes the wires or the |
| the dartboard, if they won't stick. After all, if they | | | | board fibers. And because flat tips compress |
| won't stick, what's the use, right? | | | | dartboard fibers upon impact, repeated use will |
| Sharpening or rounding darts for sport or for | | | | ruin the dartboard, making it very difficult for |
| competition is a good skill to develop, especially if | | | | darts to stick at all. |
| you're a player. The dart points aren't actually | | | | When the point of a dart begins to flatten, we |
| meant to be sharp, even though they may be | | | | only want to sharpen the tip enough to round it |
| when you first buy them. Who woulda' thought? | | | | for use. There are hollow, cylindrical dart |
| Sharp dart points ruin a dartboard by nicking the | | | | sharpening stones that may be used to sharpen |
| wires, permanently damaging them. They will | | | | the dart tip. These concave stones are very |
| actually cause darts to bounce too often off the | | | | common sharpeners for darts. Small, flat |
| dartboard. Not a good thing at all. And the sharp | | | | rectangular sharpening stones for darts are also |
| points won't stay sharp very long. The points will | | | | available. If all else is unavailable, use very coarse |
| often bend or roll over upon impact. | | | | sandpaper. Simply wrap the sandpaper around the |
| Many times a burr will form on a sharp pointed | | | | tip, pinch it firmly and rotate the tip until the dart |
| dart after sticking. This very small, very thin wire | | | | becomes sharp. |
| coming off the tip will cause dartboard fibers to | | | | Now that the tip is sharp, you'll want to round it. |
| be wrenched free when you're pulling them off | | | | Place the tip down on a sharpening stone or sand |
| the board. Burrs are very bad for dart boards. To | | | | paper as though it were standing on end. Slowly |
| check for a burr, hold the dart with the tip up. | | | | spin the dart in place until the tip dulls just a little. |
| Run a fingernail up the side of the point. If there is | | | | Now tip the dart downward ever so slightly and |
| a burr, your fingernail will catch on it. Should this | | | | spin it again just a handful of times. And now |
| happen, a dart sharpener, or sandpaper, can easily | | | | you're done. If you don't trust yourself to hold |
| be used to remove the burr. Remember that it is | | | | the dart still while spinning it, put the stone and |
| a fingernail and not a finger tip to use. A burr is a | | | | dart-or your hand holding the dart-flush against a |
| hell of a splinter to have to remove. | | | | wall, or immobile solid structure, and then round |
| So if you don't want it sharp, then what? Straight | | | | the dart. |
| up, the point of a dart should be rounded. | | | | If your darts are dirty, clean them with water |
| Rounded just like a ballpoint pen. Rounded tips do | | | | and a soft soap. Thoroughly dry them. Now they |
| not damage a dartboard. They will slide past the | | | | can be stored without worry of rust. But, if they |
| wires instead of cutting them. There is no cleaving | | | | do become rusty, sandpaper will easily do the |
| and, thus no burr will form. Interestingly, | | | | trick. Lubricate the points with oil, wipe them as |
| rounded-tip darts will stick to a dartboard much | | | | dry as possible and then store them. If cared for |
| more than will sharp-tip darts. How about that? | | | | consistently, your darts, and not the flights, could |
| Don't fight it. That's just how it goes. And when | | | | last a lifetime. |
| you loosen the dart, dartboard fibers will not be | | | | Remember to keep your darts rounded. Not |
| pulled free. Even better. | | | | sharp, and definitely not flat. It'll only take a couple |
| Some dart players believe that a dart point should | | | | of minutes of your time to keep them in their |
| not be sharp or round. They believe that they | | | | best condition. It may improve your scoring and |
| don't even need to be maintained. Just play on! | | | | will surely lengthen the life of your dartboard. |
| This is not good. Oh, no. An unmaintained dart tip | | | | Good luck! |