Manual hair clippers are widely used to cut hair and sometimes they are still in use. They are operated by hand, unlike electric clippers. These clippers were invented by Leland, an American inventor, in 19th century. Barbers used them to cut hair close and fast. The hair was picked up in locks and the head was rapidly depilated. Such haircuts became popular among boys, mostly in schools, and young men in the military, and in prisons. Today, the clippers are on the decline, because of the advent of electric clippers. Some barbers in Western countries continue to use them for trimming. In Greece, male students had their heads shaved by means of manual hair clippers from the early 20th century to late 1970s. The same practice was in military, where recruits had their heads shaved as they set foot in the bootcamp. This practice was abolished in Greece, in 1982, contrary to countries like US and Russia where the practice still holds, even by using electric clippers. In 1950s and in 1960s a law was implemented in Greece, saying that headshaving with manual clippers was to be used as a punishment for young people caught by police, such as teddyboys and prostitutes. This practice continued with Greek hippies and leftist youths, during military regime (1967-73). The manual hair clippers are still used extensively by barbers in India to give short back and sides haircuts.
