Home cooked Darts.

I have posted several times about home made darts for the CS blow guns, but realized I had not provided pictures. So here ya' go.

This is in my quiver/stand. Makes for easy target practice. Just some cut cardboard with tape over the section that the longer darts poke through. All but one in the picture are paper and tape cups. The odd ball is wood and tape.
 

(note: I put one nail straight from the box in the picture for size reference.)
2.5 inch finish nails were used to make these. They are target darts for the most part. I experimented with heating them and hammering the tips flat for broadheads. Also heated and quenched them all in water for harder points. The broadheads are comparable to the CS Mini-Broadhead in size. These might be the cheapest way to go for lots of practice.

These longer darts are made with Music Wire for the shaft. Again some are hammered flat for a small broadhead, and hardened. The music wire is avalible at most hobby shops, either in straight rod or coils. I forget the diamiter of the two sizes I used but can look it up if anyone is interested.
 

These three are Poultry needles from the grocery store. Typically used to sew up a bird that has been stuffed. They are about 5 inches long. I think I got a package of 6 and gave some to a friend. They have a round loop on the tail end, that I cut off of two and left the third on. The one that was not cut is the one with wood and tape cup.
These are more costly than the other two but, the machined points are very sharp and penetrate well.
 
-Joe

To many hobbies, not enough time.

I forgot to mention, I made a blow gun from 5/8 ths inch electrical conduit. It turned out to have the same aproximate size as the CS Big Bore Blow Gun. That is the main reason for all the home made darts.
 

To many hobbies, not enough time.

Cool little flying beasts! They remind me that I should buy a CS blow gun too in the near future.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
Sun Tzu 

Nice work BigJoe. How do they shoot?

They shoot well. The wooden cupped one seems to have been a bad idea as I quickly robin hooded it during practice. Still need to glue the chipped out piece back in. Overall they seem to compare to the Cold Steel offerings for target shooting. CS takes the lead for Hunting in my opinion though.

To many hobbies, not enough time.

I've got a cheapo blow gun that I've had for a few years and don't have any darts for it but you gave me some good ideas on darts to try and make.

I can't wait to get a CS Blowgun but I've got alot of other stuff to buy. Trying to get everything ready for camping and hiking this year. It's definetly on my list though.

ManOfMisery,
PM me for any specifics you may need.

To many hobbies, not enough time.

Will do. I had thought of nails but those poultry needles were brilliant.

BigJoe
 

The wooden cupped one seems to have been a bad idea as I quickly robin hooded it during practice.

That happens with the original plastic CS cones also, they're not hard to penetrate (take a look at "And I get paid..." in photo gallery 2).  What was the wooden cone on the one you made before you got hold of it?  I was just wondering how well a golf tee might work.

Life is too serious to take seriously.

Dead is the person whose existence is defined solely by limitations;  give no sympathy, as he is the engineer of his own demise. 
 
Cold Steel:  Sharp enough to cut wind!  

Love means never having to say that you're unarmed.

PoB,
If the head on the golf T fits the bore it will work or if it is close you can thicken it with some tape wraps.
 
The wooden cup was carved down and a hole drilled in some wood I had. It fit perfect when first carved then shrank as the wood dried out more, so I added the tape.
 
I have 8 or 9 CS darts that have been hit with folowing shots, some cups split, some have holes in them. They still work though. I looked at your pictures after you first posted them. Very nice work for just starting out, by the way!
 
Also made a dart for a .40 cal. blowgun with a nail and some 550 cord melted to the shaft and unravled. very time consuming, it shot ok but, I was not impressed enough to make more. The .40 cal. gun is, at least in my eyes, a toy compared to the .625 Magnum From CS.

To many hobbies, not enough time.

Thanks for the info and words, might have to start playing around with a few things and see what happens.

Life is too serious to take seriously.

Dead is the person whose existence is defined solely by limitations;  give no sympathy, as he is the engineer of his own demise. 
 
Cold Steel:  Sharp enough to cut wind!  

Love means never having to say that you're unarmed.

hi as some of you know im an electricain and the mention of 5/8 conduit reminds me the guys on there lunch (supposedly) discovered a 33 marrette(the yellow ones ) fit the conduit almost if not perfectly and they constantly shoot them all over drill a hole and add a point I think youll have the perfect cone. I don't know how theyld b for hunting but I know even without the tips the marrettes hurt and fly far

Better to be hated for what you are than loved for what your not