Est. 2026 · Price: FreeEditor-at-large: The Hedgehog

Stationery Times

Book Darts: Metal Line Markers, Tins & Metals Explained

Compiled from 8 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

Book Darts are paper-thin folded metal clips, about 1 in (25 mm) long, that slide over a page edge and point to one exact line. They come in bronze, brass and stainless steel, in tins of 30 to 125, and are made in the USA by Book Darts, Inc. They mark passages without ink, folds or sticky residue.

On this page11 sections
Book Darts in bronze, brass and steel clipped over a book page, pointing at lines of text, with three loose darts
Each dart is about 1 in long and folds over the page; width and fold drawn by eye (1 mm = 4 px).

Product facts

Product
Book Darts line markers, 50-count tin (TIN50CT; bronze, brass, stainless steel or mixed)
Brand
Book Darts
Brand origin
United States
Made in
United States*
Material
Bronze, brass or stainless steel
Price range
$$$5–20 per item
Rate it
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
  • Made by Book Darts, Inc. (Eugene, Oregon). Made in United States: Lee Valley's listing for a 50-count bronze tin says made in USA, and Field Notes' Tin-O-Darts listing names Jeanette and Bob Williams in Eugene, Oregon as the makers. Book Darts' own site describes the darts as made on a high-speed press but doesn't name the place; Amazon US gives the manufacturer as USA. Lee Valley's page blocked our browser, so this rests on its search listing. Source. Price: example listing.
  • Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

  • Each dart is about 1 in (25.4 mm) long, per Lee Valley, and slides over the page edge to point at a single line.
  • Book Darts sells tins of 30, 50, 75, 100 and 125; it calls the 50-count tin its best seller.
  • Metals are bronze, brass and stainless steel, or a mix of all three.
  • The 125-count mixed tin averages 4.8 stars from about 1,800 Amazon US ratings, with 300+ bought in the past month (October 22, 2026).
  • Book Darts says it tested its darts under accelerated heat and humidity and they never stained a page.

What are Book Darts?

Book Darts are tiny folded metal clips that slide onto a page and point at one exact line. Book Darts, Inc. calls them precision-cut, paper-thin metal line markers: you place one at the line, close the book and press it in.

Unlike a bookmark, which marks a page, a dart marks a passage. It also shows at the page edge when the book is closed, so you can see at a glance how many places you’ve marked.

Book Darts specs

Spec Book Darts
Length About 1 in (25.4 mm), per Lee Valley
Form Folded, paper-thin metal clip with a pointed end
Metals Bronze, brass, stainless steel; mixed tins
Tins 30, 50, 75, 100, 125 darts
Maker’s best seller 50-count tin (TIN50CT)
Made in USA (Lee Valley; Eugene, Oregon per Field Notes)

Tin sizes and metals come from Book Darts’ own store, read on October 22, 2026. Book Darts doesn’t publish the dart’s dimensions, so the length is Lee Valley’s.

Book Darts tin counts: 30, 50, 75, 100 and 125 darts
The maker's tins, by count; the 50 is its best seller.

How do you use Book Darts?

Slide the dart over the page edge with the point on your line, then close the book. The fold sits on the edge of the page and the point aims at the line you want.

To keep the book flat, stagger darts down the page edge rather than stacking them in the same spot. In a notebook, they also mark today’s page or a list you keep returning to, without a ribbon.

Bronze, brass or stainless steel?

Choose by colour; they work the same way. Bronze reads reddish-brown, brass yellow and stainless steel silver. A mixed tin is useful for colour-coding, such as one metal for quotes and another for things to look up.

Book Darts sells single-metal and mixed tins; a 75-count tin comes only mixed. The maker also sells “Book Darts for Cooks” tins and greeting cards with a 12-pack of darts inside.

How do they compare with sticky flags and index clips?

Darts are the thinnest and most reusable; flags are cheaper and you can write on them.

Book Darts Post-it Flags 680 Midori Chiratto index clip
Marks One line A page edge A page
Material Metal See guide See guide
Writable No Yes See guide
Reusable Yes See guide Yes

Post-it and Midori details are in their guides. For tabs that organize a notebook into sections, Hobonichi TSUKI no IRO index stickers suit planners better. To keep the marked books standing on a half-empty shelf, CARL’s tilted Book Tilt bookend leans them back against its plate.

Are Book Darts worth it?

For readers who mark passages, yes: one tin lasts for years because the darts come back out. The 50-count tin sits in our $$ band ($5–20); the 125-count tins reach the $$$ band at the maker’s own prices.

On October 22, 2026, the 125-count mixed tin on Amazon US (ASIN B00685DVSO) averaged 4.8 stars from about 1,800 ratings, with “300+ bought in past month”, and copycat metal darts from other brands now sit beside it.

How much does each dart cost?

Bigger tins cost less per dart. On October 22, 2026, Book Darts’ own store listed the 50-count tin at US$13.99, about 28 cents a dart, and the 125-count tin at US$26.99, about 22 cents a dart; it also offers 5% off orders of two or more tins.

Retail prices vary; that day Amazon listed the 125-count mixed tin for less than the maker did. Either way, a single tin covers years of reading, because each dart can move from book to book.

Who makes Book Darts?

Book Darts, Inc., run by Jeanette and Bob Williams, makes them in the USA. The company says the first darts were made in a basement with five hand operations and three tools, and are now made on a high-speed press.

Field Notes’ Tin-O-Darts edition names Eugene, Oregon as where the Williamses make them, and Lee Valley labels its tins made in USA.

Frequently asked questions

What are Book Darts used for?

Marking one exact line or passage in a book so you can find it again, without writing in the book, folding pages or leaving adhesive. They show at the page edge when the book is closed.

Do Book Darts damage pages?

Book Darts says it tested them on many papers under accelerated heat and humidity and they never stained a page.

How long is a Book Dart?

About 1 in (25.4 mm), per Lee Valley's listing. Book Darts calls them paper-thin and precision-cut.

What's the difference between bronze, brass and steel Book Darts?

Mostly colour: bronze is reddish, brass yellow and stainless steel silver. Mixed tins let you colour-code, for example one metal per theme.

How many Book Darts come in a tin?

Book Darts sells tins of 30, 50, 75, 100 and 125. It calls the 50-count its best seller; Amazon's most-rated listing is the 125-count mixed tin.

Are Book Darts reusable?

Yes. Slide them off when you're done and use them in another book; they're metal, so they don't wear out like sticky flags.

Are Book Darts made in the USA?

Yes. Lee Valley lists them as made in USA, and Field Notes names Book Darts' founders Jeanette and Bob Williams of Eugene, Oregon as the makers.

Sources (8)

  1. Book Darts: home page (read in full: precision-cut, paper-thin metal line markers; place at the line, close the book and press in)
  2. Book Darts: Tins (read in full: 30, 50, 75, 100 and 125-count tins; metals)
  3. Book Darts: 50 Count Tin, SKU TIN50CT ("Our best seller"; bronze, brass, stainless steel or mixed; heat and humidity stain test)
  4. Book Darts: Who Are We (Jeanette and Bob Williams; first darts made in a basement, now on a high-speed press)
  5. Lee Valley: Book Darts, 44956 (1 in long bronze markers, made in USA; search listing, the page blocked our browser)
  6. The Journal Shop: Field Notes Tin-O-Darts (30 stainless darts made by Jeanette and Bob Williams in Eugene, Oregon; search listing)
  7. Amazon US: Book Darts Line Markers, 125 Count Tin Mixed Metals, ASIN B00685DVSO (4.8 stars, 1,794 ratings, 300+ bought in past month, rank 268 in Bookmarks, MPN TIN125CTMIXED, read October 22, 2026)
  8. Tools and Toys: Book Darts metallic line book markers

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