Abstract: An apparatus for the cutting and removal of a braid from a person's natural hair includes a first member and a second member that are adapted to pivot about an axis under control by a hand of a user. The first member includes a linear longitudinal edge that cannot cut hair and is adapted to contact an inner edge of the second member. The inner edge includes a comb portion that is preferably detachable and an arcuate recess that provides an opening to receive the natural hair therein, a protrusion that functions as a pick to loosen the natural hair from the braid, and a cutting portion that is adapted to cut the braid where desired. Accordingly, all cutting, loosening, braid removal and combing operations are performed using the one apparatus, thereby expediting braid removal.

Abstract: A method provides for locating and measuring mechanical damage in rock surrounding a borehole by detecting one or both of reductions in ultrasonic compressional wave velocity in the rock as a function of azimuth, and by detecting focused acoustic energy in the rock from local increases in ultrasonic compressional wave amplitude resulting from velocity gradients. A first preferred embodiment uses a combination of azimuthal ultrasonic compressional wave velocity data and azimuthal ultrasonic compressional wave energy data. A second embodiment uses azimuthal ultrasonic compressional wave velocity data and omni-directional sonic velocity data, with a comparison test or a curve fitting test. A third embodiment uses azimuthal ultrasonic compressional wave energy data.