Same darts (24g Eagles fixed point, Cosmo shafts locked no.4, Cosmo shafts spinning no.4, Cosmo standard flights.
I figured a good test would be to throw 100 darts at the bull with spinning, and 100 locked. To not throw off the data with the warm up factor I'd throw 33 alternating shaft and flight systems. Then I would do the same with Triple 20.
In case you are wondering what the difference is between the spinning shaft and locked shaft I snapped this picture. The locked shaft is the same as the spinning shaft only it's square at the top and a wee bit thicker.
Ok to the data. I noticed the number were getting better the more darts I threw. So I decided to throw another round of 100 darts each at bull instead of triple 20 and this time start with spinning instead of locked. So there you go. BF is supposed to stand for Bull Fixed (Fixed=Locked ...yeah yea), and of course BS stands for Bull Spinning. The first set I threw 64 bulls of 100 Spinning, and 53 of 100 Locked. Then the next set 73 bulls of 100 Spinning, and 64 bulls of 100 Locked. (Note I counted the double as double). Maybe I should not have, maybe I should not have since this was a test of grouping .vs accuracy. None-The-Less...there you go.
The wear on the Cosmo flights are pretty impressive. Normally I go through a set of standard poly flights a night. This is a picture of the flights after probably 250 throws.
In conclusion, take from it what you will. Darts is about replicating the same action. I had a lot of throws when I missed all 3 at bull, that's not the darts fault, that's mine. Try them out and do the same and see what works best for you...just my observation.
Tonight I also updated the blog with a list of bars the have Steel tip Boards.
Thanks for commenting. I've Been seeing more and more players on TV playing with spinning flights. I've seen Peter Wright play with spinning flights (Surprise, Surprise). I can think of two off the top of my head where the players didn't play with spinning flights, but they used the voks style EL-C points that allow the dart to rotate on the point. 1. There is match between Barneveld and Martin Adams you can see his darts rotate after they hit the board (I have this on VHS somewhere) 2. Look closely at larry Butler's darts when he plays Dennis in the PDC Matchplay final. When the camera zooms in on Larry's darts when he hits doubles, you can see the darts rotate after they hit the board (If you see Larry ask him. But that was then this is now, and now both throw fixed point. I've asked John Part about flights and shafts and basically he said he won't change, because this is what he started with, and what he is used to . As far as gimmicks go, in 1989 Greg LeMond used gimmick "Tri Geek" bars to overcome what was thought impossible 50 second deficit, beating laurent fignon by 8 seconds to win the Tour de France. Since the Pro cycling peleton has changed. Since then I question just doing what the other Pros do. I just back into darts after a 15 year layoff. Now everything is Soft-tip. I use standard flights and my darts go in at an angle, on steel tip they stay at an angle, so each dart come in on parity with the other darts. On soft tip the board after you dart hit the board, the board makes it Perpendicular to the board. My darts at time would slap the other darts in the board, and land some place. If you notice when Paul Lim went softip he went with tear drops to make his dart hit the board at lesser angle. Instead of changing my flight shape, I thought I'd try spinning flights they seem to help. On the other hand as they say, "The mind is terrible thing to taste". The test was on a steel tip board, is it possible on some subconscious level I threw bad with the non-spinning flight to trick myself into making myself think I was doing the right thing? Might be a better test with someone without a bias. Since this test. i have switched to non-spinning shafts with the smaller standard flight. it's got a lot of names no.6; Cosmo calls it "Shape", L-Style calls it L3. It would be interesting to do another test and see if the outcome is not flipped.
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