what did the kings and people of centuries before use to shave their beard or cut their hair?

Answer 1

Flint.

Answer 2

remember that some of the world was making the finest steel ever made and other countries were still in the bronze age for hundreds of years Gillette blue blades were a possibility as the edge was a matter of thinness and concave origin, once all these were known some people had it better than others, but it is ironic that it was the beardless orientals who got it right thousands of yours ago, and i have considered turkey as a country of great early understanding in metal, as for the missing western part of the united states we can only wonder cause the water washed away the early legibility's like Europe still retains and is archaeologically feasible study where has is the south west there is only ocean beach sand for a Continent

Answer 3

I've found a great shaving timeline for you:
http://www.quikshave.com/timeline.htm

Here is something on the history of scissors (scroll down a bit):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scissors#History

History of hairdressing:
http://www.queensnewyork.com/history/hair.html

Singeing the hair was also practised to trim and tidy up, I know.

Answer 4

Knives, blades of bone or honed stone, anything that they could put a sharp edge on. People have been using tools for millenia now so it isn't so hard to imagine that they put those tools to use in their grooming as easily as they used them for survival needs.

Answer 5

There was burning wax and the pulling for one. And then there were sharp knives, and I believe straight razors.
www.history.com