Everyman Titanium - Founding Fathers Signature Series

*Note: Not hardcore compatible (has 8mm bore) and designed for use with 275 paracord. Additional contents (bags, patches, stickers, and strings) may not be as shown, as they vary with availability.

**Note: The laser etching is not perfect, as can be seen in the photos. There are slight lines and blemishes on the beads--the result of etching bold patterns on small, curved surfaces. These are noticeable on close inspection, but should not be a problem once the beads are "broken in" with a few dings and scratches. 

The AO2 Crew Founding Fathers Signature Series - Everyman Titanium Begleri

In 2016 we introduced the original six member AO2 Crew. The content produced by and with these guys has been extremely influential in the development of modern begleri. The tricks, styles, tutorials, and even the hashtags, developed by these players are an important part of the foundation that all of us play on today. This project, the AO2 Crew Founding Fathers Signature Series, was initiated many months ago, with the idea of providing an opportunity to celebrate their contributions, and offer something unique to the community in their honour. 

If you're interested in the history, you might get a kick out of the trailer we put together back in July 2016, and to see just how far begleri play has progressed since then, or much more significantly, the Kuma Films begleri video, for which we managed to pull together half the team at the time.  

General Info on the Everyman Design:

The Everyman series has become one of Aroundsquare's most well-known designs. The design of the beads is simple, intentionally "average"..  hence the Everyman name. It borrows some of the best elements of both the Titans and the Hydras, and integrates them in a fresh shape. It's bigger than one, and smaller than the other. It's nothing bizarre. It's just normal. It's average. It's the Everyman. 

The Everyman bead design updates the shape of the conventional "Standard Issue" Greek begleri for modern technical begleri play. The sloping top of the beads helps prevent the string from jamming up during rolls, like the rounded tops of the Titans. Like the Hydras, it features straight angles which help with grip and bead control, as well as a compact size which makes the beads nimble during play. While the beads are relatively small, at 17mm by 17mm, they feel substantial in the hand due to the angles, and carry good weight. 

The Everyman "Sport" Models:

The Everyman Sport models are precision machined from light, durable metals. Like the aluminium sport models, the Titanium Signature series are also sport models, meaning they are NOT Hardcore Compatible. These are stand-alone sets, which are not designed to accommodate the smaller weighted inserts that are used with some of the other Everyman sets. The beads themselves weigh 12.5g each, slightly lighter than our titanium Hydra begleri, making them very comfortable, even for extended play sessions, yet still heavy enough to maintain momentum and provide a solid feel for players accustomed to heavier sets.

Everyman Titanium Signature Series Details: 

• Precision machined from grade 5 titanium, an ideal material for begleri, having relatively light weight, but very high strength, and good scratch/ dent resistance
• 12.5g per bead and not hardcore compatible
• Designed for use with 275 paracord
• Each set features laser etched designs, developed by the founding fathers of the AO2 Crew
  • Curtis (@knifestuff) - The Line
  • Weston (@12oaksstraightg) - Legacy
  • Patrick (@assassinflonne) - Ti-dye
  • Ilya (@stringtheory.begleri) - String of Life
  • Gera (@kendagera) - H2O
  • Joshie (@jodjuya) - Test Pattern
• The laser etching itself is very robust. It will wear somewhat with heavy use and drops, but is relatively more durable than any of the coatings used, as the designs are literally burned into the surface of the beads. The depth of the etching is not noticeable to the touch and does not create texture--you'll need to bang them up if you want texture ;)
• As noted above, the laser etching is not perfect. We pioneering something new here, and the process of etching bold patterns on small, curved surfaces results in slight blemishes and faint lines between panels as the beads are turned to maintain the focal distance during the etching process. The blemishes are barely noticeable from a distance, but will be apparent on close inspection. As with all begleri beads, any surface imperfections will quickly be made redundant as the beads are smashed, smacked, dropped, and scratched through use. You can expect your set to look awesome, but please understand the limitations of the available equipment. 

Details on the six Founding Fathers designs: 

Gergely @kendagera Izsák's "H2O" Design:

Gera's H2O model is a fluid interpretation of the traditional Greek key patterns seen on many artifacts. In Gera's words: My signature model shows my love and respect for WATER. This element is really important for our world, we can't live without it. For me, H2O represents life, fun, and meditation. Life: all living things need it. Fun: in the summer I like to swim; in the winter, I like to ice skate around the lakes near where I live. Meditation: I often meditate while it is raining outside. I sit down next to our lake, and simply listen to the sounds nature plays around me. 

Weston @12oaksstraightg Hamilton's "Legacy" Design:

The design was inspired by what the future may hold. This striking angular pattern on Weston's signature model is reminiscent of the the bold lines seen in the Greek key patterns, but with a modern digital vibe.. a very fitting design for the titanium Everyman begleri. 

Patrick @assassinflonne Hoffswell's "Ti-dye" Design:

In Patrick's words: Both my parents were tie dyers before I was born, and actually met when my mom was trying to steal a tide pattern from one of my dad's shirts. I was raised going to music festivals and selling tides, and there's never been a time in my life where there wasn't a tidy in my closet. You could say I owe my life to tie dye, so when it came to designing a signature begleri, the choice seemed obvious. 

Ilya @stringtheory.begleri Indrulinas's "String of Life" Design:

When asked to say something about the design of his signature beads, begleri poet Ilya Indrulinas dropped a simple line that will ring throughout history, "I like it". He's a man of action and his slinging speaks for itself, so let's live with it. Ilya's signature model is based on the double helix pattern of DNA, forming a continuous chain around the perimeter of the beads. 

Joshie @jodjuya Allen's "Test Pattern" Design:

In Joshie's words: A series of looping cursive 'f's is the first thing I write when I pick up and test any pen. I love expressing myself through handwriting as much as I do with begleri, and this sawtooth Test Pattern design is the magnified centre of one of those ffffff scrawls, sketched with a 1.1mm italic-nibbed fountain pen. 

Curtis @knifestuff Crowe's "The Line" Design:

Is it better to ask permission or beg forgiveness.. Curtis seems to think neither: Cross the line... Leave a rose. Bonus points for anyone who can place the font on this. Hint, it's not from a takeout menu.