Nerf
Encyclopedia : N : NE : NER : Nerf
- This article is about the Parker Brothers toy. The term nerf is also used to refer to a nerf bar on a truck or SUV.
History
Parker Brothers was founded by George S. Parker, who published his first game in 1883 at the age of 16. The company was originally called the George S. Parker Company, founded in Salem, Massachusetts. When George's brother Charles joined the business in 1888, the company's name was changed to its more familiar form. A third brother, Edward H. Parker, joined the company in 1898. For many years, George Parker designed most of the games himself, and wrote all the rules. Many games were based on important events of the day: Klondike was based on the Alaskan gold rush, and War in Cuba was based on the impending Spanish-American War.
The game industry was growing, and the company was becoming very profitable. In 1906, Parker Brothers published the game Rook, their most successful card game before or since. It quickly became the best-selling game in the country. During the Great Depression, a time when many companies went out of business, Parker Brothers released a new board game called Monopoly. Although the company had originally rejected the game in 1934, they decided to publish it the next year. It was an instant success, and the company had difficulty for quite a while keeping up with demand. The company continued to grow throughout the next several decades, producing such lasting games as Clue, Risk, and Sorry!.
Even after George Parker's death, the company remained family-owned until 1968, when General Mills purchased the company. After this, Parker Brothers produced the first Nerf ball, and Nerf products soon became another major national hit. The company began to produce electronic versions of their popular board games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They also produced video games for various systems during the early 1980's, with titles like Frogger and Q*Bert. During the 80s, General Mills sold the company to Kenner, which was acquired by Tonka. Finally, in 1991, Parker Brothers was bought by toy giant Hasbro. At present day, the Parker family legacy is carried on by Larry H. Parker, a prominent injury attorney whose offices span from southern California to all of Arizona. Larry is George S. Parker's great great grandson.
Nerf Weapons
Some enthusiasts have made their own blasters predominantly out of PVC and / or brass tubing. An example of this can be seen in the Fast Action Rifle, or [FAR], designed and made by Evan Neblett, known as [boltsniper] of the NIC (Nerf Internet Community). Boltsniper is the leader as far as more complex homemades go (see e.g. his [latest rifle]). However, Nerf homemades can also be [very simple], comprised of only a ball valve and some PVC. Then there are those in between boltsniper's rifles, and the simplistic guns like cxwq's [BAMF], or Carbon's [SNAP].
A type of inexpensive homemade dart called the Stefan Dart was developed by Stefan Mohr in 1995. Materials to create these darts include foam backer rod (also known as caulk saver or, less formally, "FBR"); fishing weights, 1/4" slingshot ammo, BBs or similar and hot glue. An instrument, usually the tip of a hot glue gun, a soldering iron or a drill, is also used to create a hole in the back of the dart, allowing air to build up in the pocket and giving it more power, similar to minié balls. This type of dart is more aerodynamic than standard Nerf suction cups darts, so it travels farther and straighter. Stefans are inexpensive, costing about $0.03 each in materials, compared to Nerf darts which can be anywhere from $0.25 to $0.50 per dart. The sizes of Stefan Dart generally made are mega (5/8 inch), micro (1/2 inch) and nano (3/8 inch). The nano dart is generally ballistically superior due to less air resistance and mass. A newer model Stefan is the Matchstick Stefan, made with Plasti-Dip. Plasti-Dip is a liquid that hardens into a rubber subtance, used to coat the handles of tools. It is applied to the tip of each one to increase durability. The name is given "Matchstick" because of its appearance and the creator's surname.
Fall 2006 weapons
The Nerf Dart Tag Magstrike and Longshot CS-6.
The Dart Tag Magstrike is a machine gun of sorts, using a pump action to fill an air bladder believed to be stored in its stock. It has 2 removable clips that hold 10 darts each. It is expected to be a newer edition of the already powerful Powerclip. This gun is part of the Dart Tag line and will be avalible in red and blue. It will include one pair of protective glasses and one Dart Tag vest. You can pump it 15 times to fire 1 clip. 25 pumps is enough to fire 2 clips. the air bladder will be maxxed out at 25 pumps.
The Longshot CS-6 is a rifle that uses a clip system with new "streamline" ammo. This new ammo doesn't have a rubber collar on the tip of the dart to get stuck in the clip or barrel. Some people expect that because of its new ammo it may be Stefan compatible out of the box. It is also the first Nerf gun to use a working scope. The scope is removable so you can put it on any gun that is in the N-Strike line. The front of the main gun has a bipod for more accuracy. The front 12 inches (approximately) of the gun is a removable pistol. The stock holds a spare clip. This weapon is part of the N-Strike line
The Magstrike is avalible but must be ordered online at this point. They sell for $30-35.
Nerfing modification
Separate groups of 'Nerfers' tend to discover the ability to modify Nerf guns for increased performance. These people find a community on the Internet, sharing tips and ideas for modifications. There are several primary modifications that are done to Nerf blasters. These include: barrel replacement, disabling over-pressure release valves, air-restrictor removal, and rubber banding or spring replacement.
One of the more common modifications is to replace the barrel for improved accuracy, efficiency, and range. The material the barrel is replaced with creates a perfect seal with the dart. Progressive barreling uses tighter seal at the back than the front so that more pressure is able to build behind the dart before release. The only problem with this type of modification is that it tends to increase reload time because the dart must be placed into the tighter barrel which is more difficult and slows one down during the heat of battle. This progressive barreling practice is also referred to as "nesting". The most common barreling material for progressive barrels is brass which is found at hobby shops and typically used with diameters of 9/16” for the main barrel and 17/32” for the tighter barrel. Nesting has also been done using Crayola marker bodies, fitted into 1/2" PVC. While not quite as effective as brass nesting, Crayola/PVC nesting is a potential alternative to those without access to brass materials. Other barreling materials for non-progressive barrels include PETG, CPVC and PVC. Others have been used but are much less well known.
Disabling the over-pressure release valve increases the possible tank pressure in air blasters. Most Nerf guns with an air tank will have a hole in the pump for excess air to escape. By plugging this hole, more air is allowed to be pumped into the tank, which in turn allows more pressure to build up behind the dart. The drawback of plugging the gap is that the air tank has the potential to rupture after being pumped too many times.Most modern dart-firing Nerf weapons incorporate barriers to restrict airflow and make the toys safer. These barriers usually take the form of a piece of plastic directly beneath the inserted dart, often a part of the peg each dart is slid over when loaded. Modders will typically remove these air-restrictors as the most basic of modifications. With the air pathway unobstructed, ranges increase, but the percentage of improvement varies from model to model. Most modders remove the air-restrictors to remove the peg as well, a necessary step before Stefan darts (lacking the hole in its core which the peg normally fills) can be loaded.
Spring replacement and rubber banding of spring powered blasters is used to increase the speed at which the air is released. This is done by replacing the weak, stock spring with a much heavier one. In the case of banding, an elastic band is placed along the plunger shaft, in effect doing the same job as a heavier spring. However, going through with either of these methods of modification may result in permanent damage to both the case and the internals, as the plastic bodies of the guns were never designed to cope with the added stress such modifications often add. It will also be harder to cock. Electric Nerf guns can be modified to take higher voltage or use faster motors.
Nerf wars
Nerf wars are organized get-togethers of people who share the hobby of modifying Nerf guns, and are places where they can then use their creations in war-game-style play.
Large Nerf Wars
Apocalypse (New Jersy)
Armageddon (southern California)
CAFF (California Foam-Fest, southern California)
DCNO (DC Nerf-Out, outside of Washington, DC)
ECNO (East Coast Nerf-Out, Delaware)
Farmageddon (Iowa, first sometime in July of 2006)
GnomeFEST (New Jersey)
MANIAC (Massachusetts Area Nerf Interests And Competition, Massachusetts)
NARF World Conquest(southern California)
Reckoning (New Jersey)
SENO (South-East Nerf Out, Alabama)
YANO (Yet Another Nerf-Out, southern California)
Related usages
Nerf can be used as an adjective to define an object or activity involving Nerf weapons. For example, a "Nerf war" is an organized battle using Nerf weapons."Nerf" is also frequently used by members of the Nerfing community as a verb. "To Nerf" is basically synonymous with "to participate in a Nerf war".
'To nerf' is often used to describe the reduction of power of a weapon or skill on many MMOs such as Everquest and World of Warcraft. The same term is also used in nonMMOs to describe much the same process, but it generally refers to anything reduced in power.
Links
[Hasbro's official Nerf site][NerfHaven]
[NerfHQ]
[Orange's Nerf Page]
[Boltsniper.com]
[This is Not Healthy Nerf]
[NerfWorld]
[Nerfcenter]
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