KNOWING MANUAL HAIR CLIPPER

By:
Ajukura, Fidelis O.
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
31st January, 2024.

How many of you still remember manual hair clipper? Manual Clipper is a precursor of the modern electric hair clipper. Manual hair Clipper was invented around 1855 by Nikola Bizumic, a Serbian barber. Prior to the invention of the manual hair clipper, scissors and razor blades were the major instruments for barbing. The manual hair clipper has a blade that is made of Titanium, a body made of stainless steel and so on.Today, there are rechargeable clippers that can be used without electricity.

Prior to the late 80's and early 90's when electric hair clipper became prominent, manual hair clipper was the major device used in barbing: it was used in barbing studios or saloons. In the saloon of those days, barbing was not dependent on electricity or power supply; whenever barbers needed light in the night, they turned to their special kerosene lantern known as "tilley lamp"

In the saloons, were giant size mirrors and chairs that rolled customers from one side to another. This was one of the things we, as children enjoyed most in barbing saloons. The barbers were always handy with their horsetail to brush-off hairs. One thing about the barbers of those days was that, they sometimes used their mouth to blow away hair from customers' head and face as they barbed. There was one barber in our area who was always in the habit of blowing his cigarette breath on customers as he did his work. We didn't like going to that saloon because of his offensive breath but many people liked him because he was very good when it comes to barbing.

People born in the mid 80's and beyond may not know this device. Today, manual hair clipper is nothing but a relic from the past.

In those days, many people were known as celebrated and accomplished barbers. Do you still remember any of them? In my area in Diobu, Port Harcourt was a popular barber at Ojoto by Etchue street known simply as Papa Ofonime. He was a good barber. Another popular barber was a handsome and light skinned man from my hometown, Omoku popularly known as "Nigerian Barber". These men in those days were the alpha and omega of barbing. Incidentally, when electric clipper emerged, many of them were already too old to adjust to the intricacies of the new device. Gradually, they faded away with the manual hair clipper.

Although the manual hair clipper is no longer fashionable today but, we still remember it as well as the men who skillfully used it to sustain their families.