Using different length shafts and dart fights will change the way the dart fly’s. There isn’t a best shaft or flight to use as this is personal preference, but I will try to explain what happens when you use short shafts Vs long and also what happens when you use different flights.
 Quiver Shaft being cut to personal length
Shafts – Short Vs Long
As stated there is no best shaft to use, if you are a watcher of darts and new to the game you will notice all darters will have their own preference in shaft length and type, plastic, metal & nylon.
When choosing a dart, it is best to try it first. As there are dedicated dart shops around it isn’t always possible to throw them in the store at a practise board. If you know anyone that plays asked if they will allow you to have a throw of their darts, this way you are more likely to find a weight that suits you. Choosing a shaft and flight to go with the dart can be as equally as difficult as choosing a dart.
Short shafts tend to increase the centre of gravity of the dart towards the front end of the barrel. For good throwing most dart throwers hold their darts at this point so if you hold your darts at the front end of the barrel the short shafts might be best suited to your throw. Long shaft will effectively move the centre of gravity of the dart towards the back, so if you throw your darts holding them at the back of the dart a long shaft my suit you better than short shafts.
Although it was believed that best darts thrown were thrown in a smooth arc fashion to the board and with a naked eye that appears to be the case, recent slow motion television coverage show that darts actually wiggle in flight.
I.e. they dip straighten and sometimes dip again before hitting the board. This is natural and everyone’s throw is different.
Shafts can be made from several different materials, if you use aluminium shafts it is always best to add a rubber washer to the threaded end to prevent the shaft undoing while in use. Plastic shafts don’t require washers, but if you are playing on a floor with a hard surface beware, should you be unfortunate to have a bounce out hard surfaces can break shafts leaving the screwed end firmly in the barrel of the dart. Nylon shaft are less likely to break in this way.
Two top professionals worth viewing here are John Lowe and Phil Taylor, both of these players have won the world darts championship and both use totally different darts, shafts and flights
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