Mangas Begleri - Exotic Metal Editions
Mangas Begleri - Exotic Metal Editions
The Mangas begleri are a high performing, bottom heavy set--relatively large yet surprisingly light. They feature an elegantly tapered bead shape, smoothly rounded at the top and bottom, and elongated for control, from a narrow shelf at the top, down to a generous recess at the bottom that houses the knotted cord. The Mangas are lightweight at just over 8g per bead, but play with stability and control, grounded by the bottom-heavy weight distribution.
The Mangas begleri are named after the Greek manges, a subculture of trouble-makers with a distinctive style and their own moral code. The manges (and their predecessors, the koutsavakides) were prevalent in parts of Greece from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. If you delve deep enough into the history of begleri and komboloi, you’ll no doubt encounter the manges (singular, mangas), and their beloved rebetiko music. The manges were known as a group to stay away from. They would most likely leave you alone, but they were folks you should nonetheless take very seriously. They were a tough bunch; they were wrapped up in all sorts of mischief, while at the same time being celebrated as folk heroes in song and story. Despite associations with crime and violence, the manges were also known for a distinctive sense of integrity, as well as their stability, and reliability. While there are associations with criminal activity, the manges also worked as bouncers in gambling establishments, and were even hired for protection during political rallies and other large public events.
Why this name for these beads? Given the connection between the manges and the history of begleri, the name has been awaiting bead design for a long time. But more than that, certain aspects of the Mangas begleri indeed connect with the fabled traits of the manges themselves. The beads are tough, solid, and reliable—inherently possessing a kind of integrity of their own. They’re not afraid to be seen and heard. They move well, and are up to any challenge, but they’re not to be trifled with. With their solid feel and bottom heavy weighting, the beads will treat you with respect, but demand your respect in return.
Mokuti Edition
The elegant Mokuti material is forged from folded layers of different titanium grades, then precision machined, polished, and torched to create eye-popping colour patterns, reminiscent of wood grain. When machined to our specifications, the grains of the material become exposed in a way that accentuates the appearance of the curves, creating a beautiful topographic relief.
Each piece is quite unique, with its own grain patterns and slight colour differences. The grain on this batch of material is quite fine, with intricate waves and visual texture up close, fading out to a dazzling orange-accented blue/ purple colour when viewed from a distance. All pieces range from dark purple to blue to grey, and include lighter orange/ gold striping. The pieces shown in the photos are representative of the range (the remaining pieces are vacuum sealed to preserve the initial finish).
Details:
- Size: 20mm tall; top diameter is 12mm, bottom diameter is 16mm; 3.5mm bore, strung up 4.7mm Silk cord
- Weight: ~8.2g per bead, ~16.4g per set all in with cord
Please note that items included in the package (strings, stickers, patches, bags etc.) vary in colour and quantity depending on availability. Suitable for 550 paracord, 275, or our 2mm Kevlar cord.
Our September 2024 Launch Preview video below dives deep on these guys, and provides some ideas for the types of usage and manipulations possible with them.
New to begleri? Check out Aroundsquare's AO2 Crew demonstrating what this toy's all about, via the talented guys at Kuma Films (below). You may also want to visit our general information page on begleri, or do a deep dive on the history, configurations, or manipulation of this remarkable little toy.
