How high do I hang my dartboard? How far away is the throwing line?
The board should be hung at 5' 8" from the floor to the center of the bullseye. The oche, or throwing line, should be at 7' 9-1/4" (steel point) or 8' (soft tip), measured from a plumb line dropped to the floor from the face of the board. A diagonal measurement may also be used for the oche, 9' 7-3/8" (steel point) or 9' 9-5/8" (soft tip) from the bullseye to the front of the line.

Where's the horsehair (or pig-bristle) dartboards?
If dartboards were made of either of the above things, we would have a nation of hairless horses and pigs. There are simply not enough animals in the world to meet the demand (if there were one). Dartboards (for steel point darts) are made of one of three different things: sisal, wood or wound paper. The latter two in this list are the least dependable and will fall apart within three to eight weeks depending on frequency of use. The bristles in a bristle dartboard are made of sisal fibers and will last considerably longer. Generally, good dartboards are heavy, averaging about 12 pounds apiece.

Does the shape of a flight make a difference?
The shape determines the amount of air mass. More air mass creates more drag or pull on your dart, and less air mass creates less drag. Also, a dimpled flight will create a little more drag then a smooth flight. If your dart, when it hits the board, hits with the flight end at a downward angle then you may need more air mass, a bigger flight, to push up on your dart. If your dart, when it hits the board, hits with the flight end at a upward angle you may need less air mass, a smaller flight, to allow the flight end to drop. Your dart should hit the board straight or at a slight 10% angle upward.

Does the shaft length make a difference?
The shaft length determines the distribution of weight. A short shaft moves the weight forward. A long shaft moves weight back. As with a flight, the shaft length will change the angle of your dart when it enters the board. With a short shaft it will make the dart more front heavy. With a longer shaft it will make the dart more tail heavy. Your dart should hit the board straight or at a slight 10% angle upward.

Does the weight of a dart matter?
Most soft tip dart leagues have set weight limits. Some are still at a weight limit of 14 grams, and others will allow 16 to 18 grams. American Darters Assocation’s American Dart League will allow up to an 18 gram dart or the weight limit set by the machine owner. The weight is the full dart weight: tip, barrel, shaft and flight. With steel tip darts you may use up to a 50 gram dart (the weight of the barrel and point only). So in steel tip darts the weight will only mater to the individual. By trying different weights, you will feel if the weight is too heavy or light for you.

Why are the numbers on a dart board set up the way they are? Was there some logic to it, or was it supposed to be random?
The numbers on the board are not random. They are set up for a reason. The pattern evolved over many years and is designed to penalize you if you miss. For example, a shot at the 20 that misses may hit a 5 or 1, a shot at a 19 that misses may hit a 3 or 7, etc.

I am a new dart player and I have poor success playing the '01 games because I have trouble hitting 20's or 19's consistently. Is there anything I can do to win while my aim improves?
Yes! Shoot at the 14! If you miss high, you may hit a 9, miss low and you may hit an 11, but one dart in each is 34 points!

This tactic helps you score more points as you learn to group your darts because the three-number combination is high. The 11-14-9 combination is worth 34 points, while the 5-20-1 "wedge" is worth only 26! 14 is also good because, while it's not the highest "triplet", you're still aiming at the highest of the three in the middle of the "wedge".

The three-number "wedges" with the high number of the three in the middle are (in order of value):

The highest three number "wedge" is the 19-7-16 (42, an average of 14 per dart), but you would be aiming at the 7, the lowest of the three.

Can I use a soft tip dart on my steel tip bristle board?
Many people feel if you use a soft tip dart on a steel tip board it will harm the fibers and prematurely wear out your board. At the St. Louis Dart Shop we have made a year long study of the use of soft tip darts on a steel tip board and have found no additional or excess wear with one dart or the other. When a soft tip point hits a wire on a bristle board, this may create a sharp burr on the tip just as with steel point darts. Simply change the tip when this happens and you will not need to worry about excess wear on your bristle board.

Should I sharpen my dart points?
No. You should not have a sharp tip on your points. If you allow them to become a little rounded, this will allow the point to skip off the wires and into the board instead of bouncing to the floor. The only time you need to use a sharpening stone is when you have a burr on the point. To find the burrs, hold your dart with point up and slide your thumb nail up the sides of the point. If there is a burr, your nail will catch on it. Put your dart point in the concave part of the sharpening stone and turn slowly to lightly knock off the burrs. {Caution--do not use a flat stone. Use a stone made to sharpen darts--it will be concave on one or both ends.} This will allow your points to stay rounded, remove any burrs and add long life to your points. This will work for both FIXED and RETRACTABLE point darts.

Should I buy a retractable point dart?
Most steel tip dart players will ask this question. Your final decision will come down to cost and results. Most professional or tournament players tend to use fixed point darts and will tell you that you don't need a retractable dart. This is because the boards they play on are almost always new. But as a league player myself, I find that many pub owners will try to let boards go much too long. A retractable point is useful because that extra push helps it to penetrate a board with more wear.

Are your catalog prices for a single dart or for a set of three?
All prices are for a set of three darts. Most sets also come with extra flights and/or shafts and/or points (in the case of soft tip darts). We have begun adding pictures of example sets to the catalog pages, and all dart pages in the catalog will have them soon.

Should I use 1/4" or 2ba tips on my my soft tip darts?
The tip size is determined by the diameter of the thread, not the length of the point. 2ba tips are smaller in diameter than 1/4" tips, which are about the size (diameter) of a pencil eraser. Many larger barrel darts will need 1/4" inch tips, but not all of them. All small barrel darts will take 2ba tips because the thread needs to be small like the shaft (shafts are generally 2ba thread). If the threaded end of the tip is almost as big around as the eraser on a pencil then you need large (1/4") tips. If the tip is much smaller than the eraser of a pencil then you need small (2ba) tips.

What can you tell about your throw and release by the way the dart flies and the way it hits the board? For example, a dart that "fishtails" and hits with the flight end pointing to the right or left of the point?
When the dart does that you are twisting your wrist on the release. If you twist your wrist to the right or left it will tend to break one way or the other just like a curve ball. That makes the dart hit the board at an angle. Make sure your wrist is straight when you release the dart and that the dart is parallel to the floor and pointing directly at the board.

Is it better to throw darts with an arc, or just a straight line?
Good Question. The motion of the dart is determined by the mechanics of the player. Of course, it is impossible to actually throw a dart in a straight line, though the harder you throw, the flatter the arc will be. The speed of the dart when released is different for everyone. The size of the flight will also be a determining factor as will the weight of the dart. A standard flight will produce more drag, a slim flight less. A lighter dart must be thrown harder (faster) to penetrate the board. It's really a matter of personal preference and what gets better accuracy for you.