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Shafts
(also called stems)
Like
flights, shafts come in a vast variety of lengths, materials
and colors.
 A
selection of nylon shafts. These shafts are cheap, so when anything
breaks replacement is not too expensive. A bad problem is that
these shafts tend to break at the thread when dropped. It can
be quite difficult to get the remaining thread out of the barrel.
There is a special tool available for that (see tools page),
but a standard method is making a screwdriver hot and stick
it in the remaining thread piece. Then you can screw out the
remaining thread piece easily.
 A
selection of aluminum shafts. These shafts are more expensive
than nylon, but also last longer. You won't face the problem
with darts breaking at the thread. But aluminum darts tend to
bend when dropped, and it is quite difficult to bend them into
right shape later. Aluminum shafts are heavier than nylon shafts,
which can lead to problems in flight tuning.
 Titanium
shafts like these are the latest development in shafts technology.
They have all advantages of aluminum darts, but don't bend that
easy. But they are also the most expensive shafts.
shaft
rings
 These
are small rings that are used for keeping the flight on the
shaft. I don't recommend using them. The reason is that they
really fix the flight quite strong on the shaft.
Once
you are getting better you will be able to achieve a closer
"grouping" of your darts. Close grouping is very important
in darts. You will you ever achieve the top 180 score without
being able to group your darts closely together? If you have
your flight fixed on the shaft it is very likely that you will
have deflections when you are grouping your darts closely. Deflection
is when the target of your incoming dart is obstructed by a
dart already sticking in the board. The incoming dart has no
space, and is -- well, deflected by the dart in the board. When
your flights are fixed in the shaft then deflections are very
likely. If they are sticking loose enough on the shaft then
the flight can simply pop off, so there is no negative effect
by a deflection.
Avoid
Deflection
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First
dart placed nicely in treble area. Cool!
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Ouch!
The first dart was placed nicely, but your second dart,
that was on the way for another treble area, was deflected
into the other scale.
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Now
see what happens if your flights are loose enough on
the shaft: The flight popped off, and the second dart
also found its way into the treble area.
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The
attaching strength of a normal nylon shaft is enough
to keep your flight on the shaft when the dart is flying
through the air. But when it enters the board and hits
a dart already sticking there, the flight can pop off
and avoid deflection. With shaft rings this would not
be possible.
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Standard
Size
