Comb 373775 222516802 2008-06-29T19:35:51Z Hmorewitz 7390931 I have added a link: http://nuvoforheadlice.com/lice_combs.htm {{otheruses}} {{Cleanup|date=December 2007}} [[Image:Comb.png|300px|thumb|A comb]] [[Image:BaldyComb.jpg|300px|thumb|A comb for people with [[hair loss]]]] [[Image:Comb1.JPG|300px||thumb|A modern [[plastic]] comb with a handle]][[Image:solokhacomb.gif|300px|thumb|[[Solokha]] comb, [[Scythian]], ca. [[400 BC]] ([[Hermitage Museum]])]] [[Image:Sculptured Comb in Ivory of the Sixteenth Century Sauvageot Collection.png|300px|thumb|Sculptured comb, in ivory, of the sixteenth-century (Sauvageot Collection)]] A '''comb''' is a device made of solid material, generally flat, always toothed, and is used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibers. Combs are among the oldest [[tool]]s found by archeologists, having been found in very refined forms already in settlements dating back to 5000 years ago in [[Iran|Persia]]. Combs can be used for many purposes, including: *Keeping long hair in place. *Decorating the hair. *Matting sections of hair for [[dreadlock]]ing *Keeping a [[kippa]] in place. *Separating cotton fibers from seeds and other debris. The [[cotton gin]], a mechanized version of the comb, is one of the machines that ushered the [[Industrial Revolution]]. *Making music. Stringing a plant's leaf or a piece of paper over one side of the comb and humming with cropped lips on the opposite side dramatically increases the high-frequency harmonic content of the hum produced by the human voice box, and the resulting spread sound spectrum can be modulated by changing the resonanting frequency of the oral cavity. This was the inspiration for the [[kazoo]]. Moreover, the comb is also a [[lamellophone]]. Comb teeth have [[harmonic]] qualities of their own, determined by their shape, length, and material. A comb with teeth of unequal length, capable of producing different notes when picked, eventually evolved into the [[thumb piano]] and [[musical box]]. *Making [[Paper marbling|comb-marbled paper]] Combs are also a favorite spot for police investigators to collect hair and dandruff samples that can be used in ascertaining dead or living people's identities, as well as their state of health, toxicological profiles, and so forth. Sharing combs is a common source of [[parasite|parasitic]] infections, as one user can leave a comb with plenty of eggs or even live parasites, facilitating the transmission of [[lice]], [[flea]]s, crabs, [[mite]]s, fungi, and other undesirables. In contrast, specialized combs such as "[[flea]] combs" or "[[nit]] combs" can be used to remove macroscopic parasites. A comb with teeth fine enough to remove nits is sometimes called a "fine-toothed comb", sometimes misrendered as "fine '''toothcomb'''" or merely "toothcomb" in the [[metaphor]]ic usage "go over it with a fine toothcomb" meaning a close detailed search of something. Combs can be made out of a number of materials, most commonly wood or plastic. Ivory and tortoiseshell were once common but concerns for the animals that produce them have reduced their usage. When made from wood, Combs are largely made of [[boxwood]], cherry wood or other [[pine]] wood. Good quality wooden combs are usually handmade and polished. A [[hairbrush]], which is larger than a comb, is also commonly used for shaping, styling and cleaning the hair. {{commons|Category:Combs|Combs}} Links: H Morewitz (2008), "A Brief History of Lice Combs," http://nuvoforheadlice.com/lice_combs.htm [[Category:Early musical instruments]] [[Category:Hairdressing]] [[Category:Toiletry]] {{tool-stub}} [[als:Kamm]] [[ay:Sanu]] [[bn:চিরুনি]] [[de:Kamm]] [[es:Peine]] [[fr:Peigne de coiffure]] [[id:Sisir]] [[it:Pettine]] [[jv:Jungkat]] [[nl:Kam (verzorging)]] [[nds-nl:Reikam]] [[ja:櫛]] [[nrm:Dêmêleux]] [[pl:Grzebień (przedmiot)]] [[simple:Comb]] [[sv:Kam]] [[ta:சீப்பு]] [[te:దువ్వెన]] [[uk:Гребінь]] [[zh:梳]]