A brief primer of Tungsten.
Which is best? What should I buy? What's the difference?
All "tungsten" darts you can buy are made of tungsten heavy alloy, with Nickel-Iron-Tungsten (W-Ni-Fe) being the most common one, W-Ni-Cu, W-Ni-Cu-Fe being also available, and Tungsten Silver for those with allergies to Nickel.
For darts the amount of tungsten in the alloy is given by a percentage number. So a common "80% Tungsten" dart has 80 percent tungsten and 20 percent Nickel, Copper and/or Ferro. Tungsten darts are available from 80% to 97%.
The higher the tungsten number the slimmer - and the more expensive - the dart is. Of course the dart can also be made shorter and stubbier depending on preference.
The main benefit from a high tungsten percentage is that the dart can be made thinner than a dart with the same weight and a lower tungsten percentage.
Higher tungsten amounts do not indicate better quality or better machining. But there can be variables in the tungsten sintering process that produce better or poorer quality billets.
Tungsten is a very dense metal, it is also very durable.
Using tungsten to make a dart barrel results in a smaller dart for the same weight. We can now buy very thin darts that were not available when brass darts where the main option.
Durability is important, in that it helps retain the dart's precision-machined shape, grooves, and knurling.
Tungsten darts have a distinct advantage over brass. In addition to fewer deflections, they are able to be produced with more variety of knurling patterns on the barrels. These provide a confident grip with less potential for slipping.
The barrels can also be coated with a variety of coatings to improve grip and surface hardness.
Size is often the first factor considered when choosing tungsten dart barrels. At roughly half the diameter of a similar weight brass dart, it is easier to fit three tungsten darts into a double or triple area. Assuming one has the skill, or luck, to get them there.
So, is a 97% tungsten dart better than a 80% one? Not necessarily; it will be more expensive. If you hold 25 gram two barrels, one 80% and one 95% or 97% you won't be able to feel much difference as the physical proportions will be different. The 97% dart might be more brittle than the 80% dart! Just starting out? Buy the cheaper one, but buy what feels comfortable for you to throw. You have plenty of time to try and buy lots more and end up with the awesome collection that people here seem to have.
Tungsten billets can be bought from the main supplier to most of the darts manufacturers around the world China Tungsten https://www.chinadart.com/tungsten_alloy...illet.html, they claim that no amount is too small but I have not looked into costs.
Their website is surprisingly well put together and informative, I paraphrased some of this short article from there and other areas.
Here’s a useful video https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl...PccntqMOoI
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Which is best? What should I buy? What's the difference?
All "tungsten" darts you can buy are made of tungsten heavy alloy, with Nickel-Iron-Tungsten (W-Ni-Fe) being the most common one, W-Ni-Cu, W-Ni-Cu-Fe being also available, and Tungsten Silver for those with allergies to Nickel.
For darts the amount of tungsten in the alloy is given by a percentage number. So a common "80% Tungsten" dart has 80 percent tungsten and 20 percent Nickel, Copper and/or Ferro. Tungsten darts are available from 80% to 97%.
The higher the tungsten number the slimmer - and the more expensive - the dart is. Of course the dart can also be made shorter and stubbier depending on preference.
The main benefit from a high tungsten percentage is that the dart can be made thinner than a dart with the same weight and a lower tungsten percentage.
Higher tungsten amounts do not indicate better quality or better machining. But there can be variables in the tungsten sintering process that produce better or poorer quality billets.
Tungsten is a very dense metal, it is also very durable.
Using tungsten to make a dart barrel results in a smaller dart for the same weight. We can now buy very thin darts that were not available when brass darts where the main option.
Durability is important, in that it helps retain the dart's precision-machined shape, grooves, and knurling.
Tungsten darts have a distinct advantage over brass. In addition to fewer deflections, they are able to be produced with more variety of knurling patterns on the barrels. These provide a confident grip with less potential for slipping.
The barrels can also be coated with a variety of coatings to improve grip and surface hardness.
Size is often the first factor considered when choosing tungsten dart barrels. At roughly half the diameter of a similar weight brass dart, it is easier to fit three tungsten darts into a double or triple area. Assuming one has the skill, or luck, to get them there.
So, is a 97% tungsten dart better than a 80% one? Not necessarily; it will be more expensive. If you hold 25 gram two barrels, one 80% and one 95% or 97% you won't be able to feel much difference as the physical proportions will be different. The 97% dart might be more brittle than the 80% dart! Just starting out? Buy the cheaper one, but buy what feels comfortable for you to throw. You have plenty of time to try and buy lots more and end up with the awesome collection that people here seem to have.
Tungsten billets can be bought from the main supplier to most of the darts manufacturers around the world China Tungsten https://www.chinadart.com/tungsten_alloy...illet.html, they claim that no amount is too small but I have not looked into costs.
Their website is surprisingly well put together and informative, I paraphrased some of this short article from there and other areas.
Here’s a useful video https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl...PccntqMOoI
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
