Methods of circumcision
Tribal Tribal circumcision has its own page. The commonest method is to pull out the foreskin and chop with a spear or knife against some hard substrate. The terror and pain of this seems to be part of its appeal (to the adults), and accidents will happen.  Flint knife from Egypt
Barzel and Izmel The izmel (Hebrew for scalpel) is a double-bladed knife, to ensure that a nervous mohel can not choose the wrong side and thereby cause (additional) pain to the baby. You might think that the wrong side could be marked, coloured or otherwise indicated quite easily, reducing both that risk and the risk of cutting some other part of the baby or the mohel himself with the back blade.  The barzel (Hebrew for iron) also known as a mogen (Hebrew for shield) s a slotted shield to protect the glans, which it may or may not do, depending on the glans' size and conformation. This one is gold-plated silver.  Forceps guided A basic surgical method before the invention of the various medical clamps - widespread in the British Commonwealth when it was still believed to do some good. The foreskin was pulled through a pair of bonecutters,  which (usually) protected the glans, and the exposed foreskin cut along the clamp's edge.
Sleeve resection Two circular cuts and one lengthwise one are made in the shaft and a cylinder of skin is removed, then the cut ends pulled together and stitched. The outcome depends on where along the penis the cuts are made, and how far apart they are. In Japan, though it is rarely done at all, proximal cuts (close to the body, are reportedly favoured, keeping the inner mucosa and ridged band, but possibly interfering with their innervation.  Click on the image for larger (NSFW) This image is from a study that found 10 immediate and 8 late complications, and 20 adhesions, in 68 sleeve circumcisions.
Circumcision forceps Apparently the first specialised instrument on the secular side, invented by a Dr Moskovich in 1920, apparently for adult circumcision, but look more as though they should be used to blow bubbles.  The top ring was introduced into the preputial cavity – somehow – and the foreskin fanned out between the two rings. After cutting round it, seven sutures could be made in the notches. It had the obvious problem of the place where the forceps attach to the rings. The rings also left a collar of skin round the glans. Less obvious, it can't apply much pressure over so large an area, but it was the first circumcision device to acknowledge that the prepuce is, more or less, circular.
Harris Clamp The Harris Clamp (1932) certainly didn't consider the actual shape of the foreskin. It looks as though you'd need two thumbs to work it.  The third arm, C, drives a blade up through a slit in both the haemostat arms. The problem with that is that the blade gets blunt with repeated use.
Gomco™ clamp A device invented in 1934 by Hiram S. ("Inch") Yellen, M.D. and Aaron A. Goldstein (and reportedly based on the tyre-lever used for Model T Fords, according to Julian Wan's sickeningly worshipful history of the device). It consists of a metal bell placed over the glans (requiring a slit in the foreskin first) and a flat plate with a hole in it placed over both, to define the position of the cut. They are brought together by a screw to apply circular crushing and fusing force (of 8000 to 20,000 pounds, according to Wan) at the position of excision. Leaves a characteristic dark line at the excision scar. Varney's Midwifery says its disadvantages are that "it involves more parts, requires more steps in the procedure, and it takes more time." Under that enormous pressure, a groove wears in the bell with prolonged use, making it ineffective. The clamp is made in a set with different-sized bells and rings and there is a danger of mixing parts of different sizes. In 2001, the FDA issued a warning against clamp injuries. A video for the rival Accu-circ demonstrates how these injuries can occur.
Nutech Clamp This is even more true of its offspring, the Nutech Clamp invented by Rabbi Harry Bronstein, which looks like a hacksaw, but is actually held the other way around: 
Mogen™ clamp One of a series of circumcision instruments made by this company, including probe, probe-tipped scissors, etc. Invented in 1954 by Rabbi Harry Bronstein, a Brooklyn mohel, it consists of two flat blades brought together and held by a rotating cam. It opens no wider than 3mm in order not to admit the glans - but it is not possible to see whether this has in fact happened: Varney's Midwifery - in a chapter written by a mohalet - says 'Using the Mogen clamp has the distinct disadvantage of making the circumcision a "blind" procedure. The glans of the penis cannot be seen (so anomalies may not be discovered until after the circumcision) and is thus at risk of being cut.' (This occurred in Florida in 2004, and the parents sued both the mohel and the Mogen company.) It then closes to crush the foreskin before it is cut. Described as "the least painful method" though there is no reason this should be so, and "able to be used without previous experience."
Sheldon clamp™ A circumcision device with two sets of flat jaws. The first set grasps the acroposthion, the second set, the foreskin proper, ahead of the glans - if the boy is lucky. A straight cut is made between the two sets, resulting in a low circumcision similar to the tribal cut. Making the operator slice into a small aperture in the instrument almost guarantees an awkward cut. The Sheldon Clamp has reportedly been withdrawn because of lawsuits, but was still in use as late as 1994.  Sheldon Clamp (showing how glans can be damaged)
Disposable Instruments
Plastibell™ A grooved plastic dome (with a handle, designed to be broken off) placed under the foreskin (which must be slit and forcibly separated from the glans to allow entry). A ligature (thread) is tied tightly around the foreskin, crushing it into the groove, causing it to become necrotic (to die) and drop off. Varney's Midwifery, citing Gee and Ansell, says "the Plastibell has a higher incidence of infection." Mothers supporting circumcision in the Moms Online pages reported several complications of Plastibell circumcisions in January 2001, for example:
One study of 2000 PlastibellTM circumcisions found a complication rate of 1.8%, "the most frequent being minor infection and hemorrhage. Other complications included a tight Plastibell ring that can cause constriction of the glans penis, irregular skin margin, inadequate skin excision and migration proximally [up the penis] of the Plastibell ring as the glans swells with venous engorgement. There have been isolated cases of necrotizing fasciitis, ruptured bladder, retention of urine secondary to glandular prolapse, and retention of the Plastibell device.
 Click on the image for larger (NSFW) This image is from a study that found 3 immediate and 3 late complications, and 6 adhesions, in 57 Plastibell™ circumcisions.
Sunathrone The Sunathrone, made in Malaysia, described as "the Superb Bio-Engineering Innovation Envisioned and Derived from Aerospace Technology" offers "non-invasive circumcisions" - which would be quite a feat. It replaces the suture of the Plastibell with a hard outer clamp that is applied with a plier-like device called a Sunalever and locks shut like a handcuff. The chess-queen-like cone is broken off after the foreskin has been cut away. 
Tara KLamp™ A non-reusable circumcision device made of plastic. Works by cutting off circulation to the foreskin, using a plastic ring clamped in place over a tube (to allow urination). Available in sizes up to adult, recently developed in Malaysia. (Capital, Kuala Lumpur = K.L., hence KLamp) 
Smartklamp™ A non-reusable circumcision device made of plastic, similar to the Tara KLamp. Works by cutting off circulation to the foreskin, using a plastic ring clamped in place over a tube. Available in sizes up to adult.
Accu-circ™ Circumcision device apparently based on a bottle-opener or cork puller. The blunt probe that tears the synechia, to separate the foreskin from the glans, has at its other end a broken ring that can be slid inside the foreskin without a previous dorsal slit. The main device is then slid down the probe to crush and cut the foreskin in one action. This is a "blind" procedure: the practioner can not see that the glans is clear of the blade before s/he cuts. The streaming video originally promoting this device was notable for its lush orchestral music instead of the actual sound of the shrieking baby.
![Accu-circ[TM]](Images/Glossary/accu-circ.png)
Zhenxi Rings A grooved sleeve is passed over the glans to sit just behind the corona. The foreskin is replaced over this sleeve. A hinged plastic clamping ring is fitted over the sleeve, the position of the foreskin is adjusted and the nut tightened to hold the foreskin in place. An elastic cord is then wound tightly around the penis, compressing the foreskin into the groove of the sleeve below it. This cuts off the blood supply and the foreskin forward of it dies and falls off. The glans and frenulum are protected so the frenulum remains intact. The result is expected to be moderately tight, depending on the adjustment before clamping.
Shang-ring™ A circumcision device named after its inventor, Jian-Zhong Shang, consisting of two concentric plastic rings that "sandwich" (unfortunate expression) the foreskin, allowing it to be cut away without suturing and with reduced bleeding. In this it apparently resembles the Tara KLamp, Smartklamp and the like. Its makers claim that in a clinic under local anesthesia, circumcision takes less than five minutes. The patient must wear the device for a week. Currently available only in China, but being tested in Kenya. Not FDA approved. 
Other devices (not pictured)
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![Gomco clamp [TM]](Images/Glossary/gomco.jpg)
![Mogen[TM] clamp](Images/Glossary/mogen.jpg)
