It's just two combs with wide spaced teeth that slide into each other.  My mom got it for me for X-mas.  My initial thought was that with my layers and fumble fingers I'd never get any use out of it.  I lazily slid the ends through the top section of my hair from each side and slid the comb tooths into each other and voila; Half updo!   Some loose strands wouldn't stay in the combs but once the combs are in my hair, no pieces slide out.  If I apply a bit of styling product first, all parts stay up.  The other good news is that I don't have to comb my hair first and hold it in one hand while fumbling for combs with the other hand.  I am completely style challenged!

I wonder, if my hair had been longer and all one length, would these sort of crab combs be able to hold a twist together?  What other options could there be?

In the past I've had single combs, hinged combs, long "beaks", those bun half circles with a stick you slide through, the zig-zag things you close together at the ends, etc. but none really appealed to me.  In other words, I never developed the skill level to use them.   I feel really good about having something that isn't a hair band, that I can actually figure out how to use and can use at the length my hair is now even though it's stubbornly straight and slippery.  I know I'm raving on and on but I've been in desperate need for a hair style success experience for over five years now.

However, googling 'The Crab' just shows up images of crabs.

No, but all the writing's in Dutch.  A more intense google search showed something called interlocking combs.  I guess I've seen them before but never thought of buying them and wouldn't have known what to do with them.

http://www.cosmeticsolutions.biz/servlet/the-19604/Hair-Crab%2C-Hair-Clip%2C/Det...

Mine's a darker faux tortoise.

That's really cool. I have something like that called an octopus clip for thick hair, but I don't use it that often. I'm just wondering though, Drear, when did you get layers? I always thought you had it all the same length. 

I have a set of those crab combs.  Unfortunately they don't hold all of my hair so its in the pile of "dang, it broke/doesn't work" hair accessories.

I'm glad you found a new toy-it can get so boring.  I hope you'll post a pic of it in your hair!

I imagine it could hold a twist up, peacock style.