Show barbershop harmony ABOUT BOUT years ago a court barber was trimming the beard of the famous king archelaus Arch claus how shall I 1 cut it sire he asked in silence thundered the king the silence that then ensued is the last ever known to have occurred occurred d in in a barber shop barbering establishments of one kind or another have served as gossip centers from time imme immemorial mortal they once were far more important than they are today up until the time of the french revolution barbers not only cut hair but pulled teeth eth and performed surgical 0 operations as well many a man boasted that he could breathe a vein as well as lie he could mow a beard in fact the barbers pole is a han hangover over from the days when the town barber was also its surgeon the two spiral ribbons painted around the pole represent the bandages used to bind up the wounds of patients in those days barbers used the same instruments for shaving as for surgical work customers were asked whether they preferred to be shaved with a carving knife or a pen knife in addition to that barbers during the middle ages often held shaving competitions old records say that robert hardie of england still holds the all time quick shaving mark ile he once won a 2500 bet by shaving six men in one minute and 29 seconds he claimed to be able to shave one man no matter how harsh his beard in 12 seconds he could also do the job blindfolded with a carving knife in 45 seconds |