The dart wrench is known as the multi-purpose dart tool, mechanical dart tool, or dart mechanical wrench. It is a tool used to remove shafts and steel tips, reshape bent aluminum shafts, and for easier flight loading. Each circle, squares, and other holes in the tool are for different parts. Short strips at the end are for prying metal prongs on the shaft that is too tight to move.
Due to the materials used in a dart’s body, a set of three can last for a long time. The longevity of your set will also depend on how often do you play darts. For casual players, one good tungsten set will last them years as long as the darts are stored properly. However, even though these little arrows are made with robust metal, they can still sustain damage.
Darts rarely breaks and splits into two unless the player is extraordinarily reckless and hits a very dense object. In most cases, even the most reckless players can only leave some scratches, bent shafts, broken flights, or loosen barrels. In cases like this, the damage is repairable (and easily so) if you have the right tool to do the job. A good dart wrench is all you need for repair.
What Is a Dart Wrench Used for?
Most dart products often come with a dart wrench. Beginner players and even some experienced players might be clueless about what this small tool does. If you’re really careful with your dart set, you might not need to use this tool at all. But in case you’re curious about this little tool, here are the things that you need to know about dart wrenches.
Tightening Or Removing Shaft
The shaft connects the barrel and tip to the flight. However, it can get stuck or gets loose, especially if you use aluminum or other metals. You can use the slim strip of metal from your dart wrench to gently tighten the shaft optimally. If you have a broken shaft, this slim strip can also help you probe and remove the broken pieces from the barrel.
Prying Out Tight Shaft Prongs
Another problem with metal shafts is that their prongs can become tightly cramped against each other. When this happens, you might not be able to replace your broken flights. The prying tip is usually at the end of the multi-tool, which is quite intuitive to use.
If you want to tighten the prongs that hold down the flight, the shaft tighter is for you. This tool is that one hole shaped like an “x” or “+” (depending on the orientation.)
Changing Out Broken Dart Tips
Both soft tip and steel tip darts can be removed and replaced by twisting the tip until it comes out. However, twisting the dart tip by hand might be difficult and outright dangerous if not done properly. You might need to use something which will serve as a vice grip so you can twist the tip out.
The dart tip remover (or tightener) is the square-shaped or rectangular hole in your dart wrench. Soft tip darts use square ones, while steel tip darts use rectangular ones.
Reshaping a Bent Metal Shaft
If you have circle-shaped holes in your dart wrench, these are used to reshape any bent metal shafts. The shape will let you use a bit of a force to reshape the bent part to its original shape. Unfortunately, this might not work on severe bents, and you might be better off replacing the part.
We recommend this dart wrench multi-tool for tightening up your dart shafts or tips. It’s small, lightweight, and even has a bottle opener built in for the avid dart’s enthusiast.
How to Use a Dart Wrench
Using a dart wrench or a multi-tool is not the most intuitive thing in the world. In most cases, the players only have one because it is included in their dart packages when they bought it. However, once you get the hang out of it, the dart wrench would be an undeniably helpful tool when playing darts.
- Removing broken dart shafts – basically, you stick the pointy end in the broken dart shaft and twist. This should let the broken part loosen up or fall. If you’re still struggling to get it out, you might want to twist the shaft manually with your fingers.
- Removing dart tips – insert the soft tip into the soft tip tightener and twist it to the preferred direction (if you want to tighten or remove your tips).
- Prying out shaft prongs – insert the prying tool into the shaft prongs and apply a bit of force until it’s separated enough that you can insert your new flights. It works best if you have a new shaft and you’re planning to use a thicker flight.
- Tightening of shaft prongs – if you need to tighten the shaft prongs of either nylon or metal prongs, all you have to do is run the shaft into the shaft tightener (or the x-shaped hole).
- Reshaping bent shaft – same with the shaft prong tightener, just run the affected part to the proper reshaping tool until it’s back to its original shape.
Final Thoughts
A dart wrench can be very helpful when you’re short in budget or time to purchase a new dart. It’s like a handyman’s all-in-one tool for different kinds of problems that might arise unexpectedly. However, it might not be enough to maintain or repair your darts back to good condition.
For steel tip darts, you might want to consider getting a dart sharpener to keep your sets adequately sharpened. Another handy tool is a shaft extractor tool, especially if you use soft-tip darts or nylon shafts. This tool will help greatly in removing broken parts from the barrel. If you always deal with groupings, you might as well invest in a flight protector.
There are different types of dart tools out there. The dart wrench is just one of the options that players can use if they want a compact tool that has everything they might need while playing. When the dart wrench failed to work, you might need to use other tools with a specific function.