SHAFTS

Shafts serve to hold the flights away from the center of mass of the dart barrel. The shaft acts as a lever to make the flight more effective at resisting sideways motion. A longer shaft will produce about the same effect as a larger flight. There are a plethora of different shaft designs, but all serve essentially this same purpose.

SHAFTS - Plastic

Inexpensive, and available in many colors, but break fairly easily. Good shafts until you start throwing tight groups and breaking lots of shafts. Materials are usually polycarbonate or nylon, some have replaceable tops for greater longevity. Priced from $1 to $3.
SHAFTS - Composite

Composite type shafts, like the Alamo or Quiver, have plastic bases that thread into the dart, combined with aluminum or other metal alloy tops that hold the flight. These are excellent shafts, quite durable, and will not vibrate loose as easily as solid aluminum shafts. Generally available with replaceable tops for economy and convenience. Most styles priced at $2 to $5.
SHAFTS - Solid Aluminum

More rigid and durable than Plastic or Composite Shafts, in many colorful styles, some with decorative engraved stripes, flutes, or spirals. May tend to vibrate loose, especially on heavy darts. When used with thick flights, such as Dimplex or Nylon, the slots may need to be pried open slightly, with a dart tool or knife blade. Will normally bend instead of breaking when hit; just straighten for more use. Priced from $2 to $6.

Note: Aluminum shafts often vibrate loose when playing, so rubber O-ring lock washers are highly recommended. This only occurs when there is a metal-to-metal contact, so plastic shafts do not normally need the lock washers.
SHAFTS - Spinning

A variety of shaft styles are now available, that allow the flight to turn out of the way when struck by another dart. Spinning shafts do nothing to improve the flight of the dart through the air, but they do allow tighter groups by letting the flights align with each other. Also, these shaft will greatly reduce torn flights and "rovin-hooded" shafts. Priced from $2 to $12.


I recommend Nylon shafts as they wear like iron and is inexpensive. Once again talk to us about your wants and needs

Hi
I was wondering if you could help me, I was trying to trace a very special (and I believe the best stem ever devised) it was the original Titanium stem not the ones by Harrows or Unicorn they are cr-p and brought out much later with their pathetic screw on replacement tops. I do believe Kwiz also manufactured one that did not have the facility for replacing tops.
I believe the originals were made by Halex of Regent/Halex consortium in the USA.
These were very special as the incorporated a Titanium thread unit on a wire stem the tread was connected to the barrel with the aid of a small spanner not a hole drilled in the stem.
The part that made these extremely different was the way the top was connected as the top of the stem had a small Titanium bullet, which was ringed and supported a very small O ring this in turn located into a inner ringed furrow on the inside of the tops. I used to sand the O ring lightly in order that the top would spin, therefore not spinning in flight as I rifle the barrel.
I still have one complete stem and a few replacement tops, I would be most interested and may I say surprised if these are sill available but it would be good to know or find out who if anyone bought the Patent. If no one did, I,m off to China.
Cheers Bo

Bo-Jangles wrote:

Hi
I was wondering if you could help me, I was trying to trace a very special (and I believe the best stem ever devised) it was the original Titanium stem not the ones by Harrows or Unicorn they are cr-p and brought out much later with their pathetic screw on replacement tops. I do believe Kwiz also manufactured one that did not have the facility for replacing tops.
I believe the originals were made by Halex of Regent/Halex consortium in the USA.
These were very special as the incorporated a Titanium thread unit on a wire stem the tread was connected to the barrel with the aid of a small spanner not a hole drilled in the stem.
The part that made these extremely different was the way the top was connected as the top of the stem had a small Titanium bullet, which was ringed and supported a very small O ring this in turn located into a inner ringed furrow on the inside of the tops. I used to sand the O ring lightly in order that the top would spin, therefore not spinning in flight as I rifle the barrel.
I still have one complete stem and a few replacement tops, I would be most interested and may I say surprised if these are sill available but it would be good to know or find out who if anyone bought the Patent. If no one did, I,m off to China.
Cheers Bo

Yeah think it was Halex:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I think I seen some on Ebay a few weeks ago too!

Thanks for that, I wish I had known as I would have bid like hell.
I don't suppose you know if Halex still manufacture them, they truly were/are a wonderful shaft and very very durable.
Once again thank for the info.
When I get help I always reciprocate here is a little gem (it will probably get bad mouthed but it is gospel) just as in golf, dart throwers or thraggers also have a tendency for hooking and slicing especially Dartitis sufferers and as with the yips in golf, Dartitis in darts is also caused by the same misunderstanding of what a protagonist thinks he does.
Bo
Hi just noticed the picture, no these are not the ones I am pretty sure that these were threaded or possibly not replaceable tops, thanks anyway. The info and spirit still applies.

Bo-Jangles wrote:

Thanks for that, I wish I had known as I would have bid like hell.
I don't suppose you know if Halex still manufacture them, they truly were/are a wonderful shaft and very very durable.
Once again thank for the info.
When I get help I always reciprocate here is a little gem (it will probably get bad mouthed but it is gospel) just as in golf, dart throwers or thraggers also have a tendency for hooking and slicing especially Dartitis sufferers and as with the yips in golf, Dartitis in darts is also caused by the same misunderstanding of what a protagonist thinks he does.
Bo
Hi just noticed the picture, no these are not the ones I am pretty sure that these were threaded or possibly not replaceable tops, thanks anyway. The info and spirit still applies.

That ad is from an early Darts World magazine, I really don't know if Halex still make them, but from the ad I would guess that was their first Titanium Shaft. They may have updated them sometime after that though.

That's just what I had surmised, thanks again for the effort. I actually (for some reason cannot get through to Halex/Regent on line). Any ideas
Bo

Bo-Jangles wrote:

That's just what I had surmised, thanks again for the effort. I actually (for some reason cannot get through to Halex/Regent on line). Any ideas
Bo

Hmm not sure will have to check, see if I can find anything.

You Sir are a scholar and a gentleman!
Bo

http://www.edarts.net/shafts/unixlti.shtml

maybe these Bo

http://www.muellers.com/Titanium-Dart-Shaft,795.html

or these ?

Well like Bo I sent an email to Halex/Regent, and they never replied, bit bad mannered really. Guess the only way they will reply is if you phone them, but too expensive from U.K.

SilverSaber wrote:

http://www.muellers.com/Titanium-Dart-Shaft,795.html

or these ?

Hi Silversaber
Thanks for the info, sorry to say none of these are the ones, but thanks anyway, it's much appreciated
Regards
Bo

This will sound wrong in all sorts of ways. How do you measure the shaft? Overall length or the length of the visible shaft (minus the thread)?

coryroth wrote:

This will sound wrong in all sorts of ways. How do you measure the shaft? Overall length or the length of the visible shaft (minus the thread)?

Hahahaha. I think it depends on the shaft. Some are measured in full some are measured minus the threads. Maybe someone else can confirm this?

As long as no one gets into "its how you use the shaft", I think we'll be okay. Just got Harrows Black Jacks in the mail and realized the shafts are aluminum. Want to pick up a few extra since I don't think they'll take well to the basement floor if I get a bounce back. Am I right on that?

I have to recommend going nylon, much better in many ways IMO.

I was actually wondering if that was the smarter thing to do...

yes sir, ya wont regret it

As far as I know the shafts are measured minus the thread.

Found this last night.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Of course it's tiny...

coryroth wrote:

Found this last night.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Of course it's tiny...

Interesting, I have some of those very small stems some where, I just got them for fun really.

Darren, your knowledge of darts never ceases to impress me!!

he's the oracle. thats right, D is really an elderly black woman who likes to bake. would you like a cookie neo. lol

the whole carrot thing is just a ploy to confuse agent smith.

Have a carrot

USMC80 wrote:

yes sir, ya wont regret it

Its been how long? But I've just finally taken this advise and ran with it. Lately I've been noticing my throw has been a little off balance with my favorite darts. Just swapped out the aluminum shafts with nylon and BAM, I'm throwing straight again. It's amazing what little adjustments due to your throw...

I have always recommended nylon, even though I use cosmos.

a little goes a long way.

I used nylon for a long time before I shifted to Phase 5 stems. They're pretty tough and lasts longer, when I used punched flights. I still use nylons on most of my sets.

I mean some of me Cosmos are made outta nylon me thinks.

On the topic of shafts, I have a few sets of these that are a bit long for my taste:

http://85.92.78.207/shopimages/sections/aztec%20black.jpg

If anyone has them in the shorts that they want to swap or inbetweens, I am interested.

Apologies in advance to the moderators for posting this here and not in the proper forum (it is what the topic is about after all).