If you’re looking for a way to sharpen your darts, there are many different options. One option is using an abrasive sharpening stone. This article will show you how to use either one of these tools so that you can keep your game sharp and competitive.
Table of Contents
Why Sharpen Darts?
The jury is definitely out on whether you should sharpen your darts. This all comes down to personal preference.
You might be thinking that surely the sharper the dart the better? A sharp point is likely to stick in the board better? And to a certain extent, you’d be right.
When darts become blunt you may find you’re picking them off the floor more often than you’d like. That is a good time to give them a sharpen.
However, be aware not to sharpen your darts too much -if it’s too sharp and it clips the spider (wire) it will not only mark the wire but it will bounce out.
When darts with a slightly rounded tip hi the spider, they are less likely to mark the wire and more likely to glance off the spider and stick in the board. Which is of course much more desirable than hitting the floor.
You might also like our FAQ article.
Do Not Over-Sharpen Your Darts
For this reason, it makes sense that you shouldn’t over-sharpen your darts. See the illustration for a guide on what we mean by ‘over sharpen’. When correctly sharpened, your darts should be free of burrs and rounded at the tip.
Different Ways to Sharpen Darts
There are a few options to sharpen your darts.
- Darts sharpener
- Sharpening stone
- Sandpaper
- Fish hook sharpener
Do I Need to Sharpen Soft Tip Darts?
No, do not attempt to sharpen soft tip darts. The electronic dartboards are designed to take the rounded shape of the soft tip dart. They are usually made of plastic or nylon and have a foxed shape that does not require sharpening.
How Often Should I Sharpen My Darts?
Typically you should not need to sharpen your darts often. If your dart has bounced out and landed on the floor, check it with your fingertips by pinching the tip of your dart and spinning it around. This way you’ll easily feel any burrs.
Pro darts players don’t often sharpen their darts as they rarely have bounce-outs and with high intensity of their throwing schedule, the darts almost self sharpen as they go in and out of the board.
How to Sharpen Darts on A Flat Stone
- Wet the stone
- Place it in front on you longways
- Hold the dart in 2 hands
- Place your left hand on the tip of your dart
- Hold the shaft of the dart with your right hand
- Hold the dart at 45 degree angle to the stone
- Move the dart up and down along the length of the stone while turning the dart with your right hand
Do 2 or 3 strokes at a time and check your dart making sure not to over-sharpen.
Test Throws
After your darts are sharpened, it’s time for a test shot. Try them out and see if they fly how you want them to.
If so, great job! Keep practicing with them or try some new flights on them. If not, you might have to do some fine-tuning until your darts are just right. That’s all there is to it!
In Summary
The easiest way to sharpen darts is by using a little dart sharpener tool. However, if you already have flat sharpening stones, there’s no reason not to use them. We hope this guide has explained this simple process and now you have well-sharpened darts.
Sue has been playing darts since her 20’s when she played in weekly tournaments and she enjoys writing about darts. She’s also a great teacher, and she enjoys helping others learn how to play the game well. When Sue isn’t throwing darts, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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