How To Remove A Broken Dart Shaft Stuck In Your Dart Barrel

Accidentally breaking your dart shaft and getting it stuck in the barrel is every darter's worst nightmare. It's a major pain to remove the broken piece from the barrel and it leaves your shaft unusable, forcing you to replace it with a new one. In this blog, we'll discuss how dart shafts break plus some methods on how to remove a broken dart shaft from your dart barrel.

Bounce outs can cause dart shafts to break, especially if the dart lands onto hard surfaces like concrete or hard flooring. This is especially common when playing soft tip darts since they will land on the floor more often compared to steel tip. However, robin hooding in steel tip can damage the shaft and cause it to break as well.

Dart shafts are also much more prone to breaking if they are screwed too tightly into the dart barrel due to the pressure straining the shaft from overtightening. If your dart shafts feel too loose in the barrel, consider using dart o rings to prevent screwing your shaft tighter and decrease the risk of a broken dart shaft.

Unfortunately, since the broken dart shaft doesn't have threading intact to screw into a dart barrel, it is no longer usable. You will have to replace the broken dart shaft. For traditional dart shafts, it is cheap and convenient to buy them in bulk so you're always prepared to replace a broken dart shaft when needed. However, for one-piece molded flight systems where the shaft is part of the flight, you'll need to replace the entire system which is more expensive than buying a traditional shaft.

There are plenty of ways to remove a broken dart shaft from your barrel and tons of online tutorials with step-by-step instructions. Let's go over some of the most popular methods of successfully removing a broken dart shaft.

The safest and easiest way to remove a broken dart shaft from your barrel is to use a shaft extractor tool. These tools are extremely comfortable to use and have excellent grip points so it won't slip in your hands while you're extracting the shaft. Many also come with a keychain so you can carry it on the go and be ready for any shaft emergencies.

The best part about this method is that it works every single time. You don't have to worry about damaging your barrel or spending hours trying to remove the broken dart shaft with DIY equipment since extractor tools are safe, cheap and easy to use.

In this video, Jen Mounts demonstrates how to remove a broken dart shaft from a dart barrel using various extractor tools. Just slot the extractor tool over the end of the barrel with the broken dart shaft and rotate it until the broken piece is out!

All shaft extractors work on standard 2ba threaded shafts; however, if your shaft is a No.5 you'll need a special tool that also works on No.5 shafts. Our in-house brand Colonial offers a No.5 shaft extractor tool while the L Style Bull extractor tool can remove both 2ba and No.5 threaded shafts.

View some of the various purchase options we offer below for broken dart shaft extractor tools:

Another easy and convenient way to remove a broken dart shaft is by using the dart point of another barrel. With the tip of a dart point, apply pressure to the broken shaft and push it counterclockwise to unscrew the broken piece from the barrel. Once the shaft is unscrewed enough to grab with your fingers, you can go ahead and pull it out.

Using a steel tip dart point will give you the best results as they tend to be sharper than soft tip dart points and can apply more pressure to rotate the piece. Exercise caution when applying this method to remove a broken dart shaft — if you're not careful you may end up stabbing yourself with the dart point.

This method does not work for dart shafts that are too firmly stuck in the barrel. Keep reading for other methods of removing a broken dart shaft that will work for more stubborn situations.

In this Darts Review Channel video, Darren shows you how to remove a broken dart shaft from a barrel using another dart point and a hot screwdriver.

You can also use a screwdriver to remove a broken dart shaft. All you'll need is a flathead screwdriver and a heat source (stovetop flame works best). Gently heat the broken dart shaft until it's pliable. Then, using the head of the screwdriver, press the tip into the melted shaft. Wait for the plastic to cool and harden, then twist the shaft out of the barrel with the screwdriver.

Alternatively, you can carefully heat the screwdriver head over a gas stovetop flame. After 30 seconds, press the hot screwdriver into the broken dart shaft to melt the plastic around the head. Wait for it to cool down and harden, then use the screwdriver to twist the shaft out. Watch the Darts Review Channel video above for a visual guide on how to use a screwdriver to remove a broken dart shaft.

Although the screwdriver method isn't guaranteed to work every single time, there are certain tips you can follow to ensure you get the best results:

• Make sure to not overheat your equipment. Whether you choose to heat the broken dart shaft or the screwdriver, overheating your equipment will make it more difficult to successfully remove the broken piece from the barrel. The heat can overmelt the plastic and lodge it firmer in the barrel, or it can make a mess. For best results, don't heat up your equipment longer than 1 minute.
• Use safety gear as needed. Since you're dealing with an open flame and a hot metal screwdriver, there's a risk of burning yourself. Heat resistant gloves or a thick cloth will protect your hands from the fire. 
• Don't press the screwdriver too deep into the broken piece. This will force the material of the broken dart shaft to expand too tightly in the barrel and become more difficult to retrieve. A shallow indent is good enough, as seen in the Darts Review Channel video.

Removing a broken dart shaft with a lighter and pin is one of the most common methods used by dart players of all skill levels. This method is very similar to the screwdriver method as you need to heat either the broken dart shaft or the safety pin with a lighter to remove the broken piece. Once the broken piece or the safety pin is heated, press the pin into the shaft, wait for it to cool and harden, and then twist the shaft out of the barrel.

If you don't have any spare safety pins lying around, you can also use similar pointy objects as a substitute. Some players like to use sewing pins or paper clips. We've even seen a few darters online use a fondue stick to remove a broken dart shaft with this method!

We hope you found this blog resourceful! Though we've covered the most popular methods of broken dart shaft removal, there's bound to be others that we missed or didn't know about. Choose whatever works best for you — at the end of the day, the most important thing is getting that broken shaft removed. Personally, we just prefer the simple and easy way of using shaft extractor tools.

If you're looking for new dart shafts to replace your broken pieces, look no further. Shop all dart shafts available on our website and filter by your favorite brands, colors and types by clicking the button below.