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Originally Posted by VANDOO
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Hello VANDOO,
I had forgotten this thread... To belatedly answer your questions there, here are a few facts about these razors which I have gathered since: They are called
mouss, from an Arab loanword meaning knife, razor. Confusingly, there are two types of Algerian razors with the same name, the twin Kabyle ones and the Arab sort, which looks very much like a khodmi (Bou Saadi) knife. I was told that Kabyle razors have not been manufactured nor used for ages and photos of Algerian barbers from the early 1900’s I have seen, show them using a straight razor. It’s interesting to note that a barber was an important person in Kabyle society, playing a key role in the rites of passage to manhood, by giving young men their first head-shave, and also in marriage ceremonies, while in certain areas he was also the circumciser. In addition, as in most societies, he was also a surgeon.
Regards,
Andreas