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Are tungsten darts better than other darts?
Are tungsten darts better?
And really, are they worth the money?
First and foremost, we'll start with the direct answer to this question. Yes, tungsten darts are in fact the best darts. Now if that's all you wanted, great! We're glad we could help.
However, if you'd like to learn more about why they are the best, then keep reading.
Tungsten as an Element
Before getting into darts, let's talk a little bit about tungsten as a chemical element.
Tungsten, also known scientifically as wolfram, is the 74th atomic element on the period table. Tungsten is a rare earth metal with a wide range of uses, from wedding rings, to filament wires for lighting, military applications, and, of course, darts. This is because of it's incredible durability and resistance to corrosion.
Tungsten ranks between 7.5 and 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, this means it's as tough as emeralds, literally! Tungsten also has one of the highest melting points of any known element at 3,422 °C, which is 6,192 °F. That's about three times hotter than lava!
Tungsten has a wide range of uses due to its density, durability, and resistance to corrosion.
Tungsten is one of the top ten densest metals. For those of you who need a refresher, density is a measurement of mass divided by volume. Tungsten's density is 19.35 g/cm^3, which might not mean much to you, but that number means that tungsten is more dense than both uranium and gold.
The last main point to touch on is that tungsten is a fairly non-reactive metal. It doesn't react to water, it's unaffected by most acids and base chemicals, and won't react to oxygen unless it becomes red hot. The few chemicals it does react with aren't going to be found lying around, and even if you did manage to somehow come across them, tungsten typically doesn't react unless heated to high temperatures.
Why Tungsten is Better
So now you know just how tough tungsten is, but why does that make it better for darts?
Longevity
For starters, tungsten darts will last much, much longer than brass or nickel silver darts. Most of our Viper tungsten darts actually come with lifetime barrel guarantees because of how strong tungsten is.
Durability
Tungsten's non-reactive properties are also perfect for darts. The oils from your hands and anything else that might get on your darts isn't going to degrade their quality. Coupled with its natural durability, this means the grip on a tungsten dart won't wear down or smooth out. If you ever notice your tungsten darts don't have as good of a grip as they used to, it usually just means you need to clean them.
Slimmer Barrels
Tungsten's density also makes it ideal for darts because it allows for slimmer dart designs. The bullseye, triples, and doubles are small, narrow spaces. So if your darts are too fat, they will block off precious space and make it harder to get high scores.
It's all of these factors that make tungsten darts so great.
Slimmer dart barrels allow more space for incoming darts to fit in small areas of the dartboard (like triples, doubles, and the bull).
Tungsten Percentages
One thing to keep in mind when looking at tungsten darts is that they are always marketed as a certain percentage of tungsten, typically between 80% and 97%. This is because in spite of all of the benefits, there is one shortcoming of pure tungsten: it's brittle.
A 100% tungsten dart would break if put under stress.
This is why tungsten is combined with nickel to make a tungsten alloy that won't break. A 95% tungsten dart is going to be around 5% nickel, while an 80% tungsten dart will be around 20% nickel. You might be thinking that a 95% tungsten dart must be better than an 80% tungsten dart, but this is actually a common misconception!
A higher percentage of tungsten simply means the dart will be more dense and therefore a little slimmer.
If you had two 24 gram darts with the same shape, but one was 80% tungsten and the other was 95% tungsten, the 95% tungsten dart would be slightly smaller. You might think that this proves that the higher percentage is better, after all we just said how great slim darts are.
And while it is true that slim darts have their advantages, what's most important is that the dart feels comfortable when you throw it. So some tungsten darts are made with lower tungsten densities so that people who prefer slightly larger darts, or just have bigger hands, are able to find a dart that they are comfortable with. Different tungsten percentages means more options for players to try.
Wrapping Things Up
There is a reason tungsten darts are more expensive than standard darts. They are strong, durable, and can last a lifetime. If you're serious about darting, then a good set of tungsten darts is vital to improving your game. After all, tungsten is the perfect material for darts.
If you have any other questions about tungsten darts, don't hesitate to reach out to us! Otherwise you can check out our collection of tungsten darts here.
