Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) a hooked pole used to extract goods from shop windows.

1591

Greene Second Part of Conny-Catching in Grosart (1881–3) X 86: In Combing Law. He that hooks, the Comber. He that watcheth, the Warpe. The hooke, the Combe. The good, Snappings. The gin to open the windowe, the Trickar.

2. (UK prison) a carpenter’s file.

1938		J. Phelan Lifer (in Partridge DU ).
1954		J. Phelan Tramp at Anchor 179: Tike me davy that bleeder ’ad a comb an’ slider in ’is flowery.