Mangas Begleri - Titanium Editions

Mangas Begleri - Titanium 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.

Details: 

• Material: Precision machined from grade five titanium
• Size: 20mm tall; top diameter is 12mm, bottom diameter is 16mm; 3.5mm bore, suitable for 550 paracord, 275, or our 2mm Kevlar cord
• Weight: ~8.2g per bead, ~17g per set all in with cord
• Four finishes available: 
  • Blasted: Aggressively sandblasted for a rough, sparkling finish.. These start out very rough, but soften over time with use. 
  • Tumbled: These pieces are  tumbled to soften the finish. These are slightly darker than machine finished or sandblasted titanium pieces. 
  • Mirror polished: Beautifully polished. These will pick up abrasions and scratches over time but remain beautiful and very playable. Counter-intuitively, these have the most grip due to the glossy surface.
  • Shinobi: These pieces are first sand blasted, then coated with a black ceramic coating. The finish and texture are excellent, but be aware that the coating, though durable, can ding up, scratch, and chip over time if it is dropped on hard surfaces. 

Please note that items included in the package (strings, stickers, patches, bags etc.) vary in colour and quantity depending on availability. 

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.