Rawhide COMP
Certified grade
COMP = compressed / laminated rawhide mallet plug
Pick for hammer and mallet faces: discs of hide compressed and bonded into a dense, high-impact, non-marring plug.
Values for the COMP condition
Other Rawhide tempers and conditions
Rawhide is listed in 2 conditions; see the grade overview at Rawhide.
- COMP
- THIN
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COMPThis page Compressed / laminated rawhide mallet plug | Pick for hammer and mallet faces: discs of hide compressed and bonded into a dense, high-impact, non-marring plug. | — | 55 | 8 | — | 0.19 W/m·K |
Thin calf/goat rawhide | Pick for drum heads, banjo heads and fine lacing where 0.3–1.5 mm thickness and uniform tension response matter. | — | 90 | 15 | — | 0.16 W/m·K |
What is Rawhide COMP?
Rawhide COMP is Rawhide in a COMP certified grade — pick for hammer and mallet faces: discs of hide compressed and bonded into a dense, high-impact, non-marring plug. Rawhide COMP has a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 1.8 GPa (0.261 Msi). Rawhide COMP has a density of 1.15 g/cm³ (0.0415 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades.
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 8%, better than 82% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.19 W/m·K (0.11 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 12 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 93% of natural material grades
- Difficult to machine — 45/100, worse than 91% of natural material grades
- Heavy — 1.15 g/cm³ (0.0415 lb/in³), worse than 81% of natural material grades
- Low stiffness — 1.8 GPa (0.261 Msi), worse than 77% of natural material grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 77% of natural material grades
Rawhide COMP properties
Typical room-temperature values for Rawhide COMP; 14 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Rawhide reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Rawhide COMP has a density of 1.15 g/cm³ (0.0415 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades.
Mechanical7
Rawhide COMP has a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 1.8 GPa (0.261 Msi).
Thermal5
Rawhide COMP is rated for continuous service to 75°C (167 °F). It conducts heat at 0.19 W/m·K (0.11 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 60 µm/m·K (33.3 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Rawhide COMP is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 8 kV/mm (203.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (50/100), better than 63% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Rawhide COMP takes about 45 MJ of energy and emits 12 kg of CO₂ — more than 87% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 100%.
Manufacturability2
Rawhide COMP's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 91% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Rawhide COMP
Is Rawhide easy to machine?
Cut dry with sharp knives, punches or die/laser (watch scorch odour); light turning and drilling possible but keep speeds low to avoid heat-shrinking the collagen.
Can Rawhide be welded?
Not weldable — join by lacing, riveting, sewing, or hide-glue/PVA/contact adhesive bonding.
Can Rawhide be formed, bent or molded?
Soak in cool water until pliable, stretch or mould over a form, then air-dry under tension — it hardens and holds the shape (shrinks a few percent).
What surface finishes work on Rawhide?
Sand and burnish for a horn-like surface; seal with shellac, wax, oil or varnish to block moisture uptake and mould growth; do not dry above ~60 °C.
Rawhide chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| collagen (type I protein)dry-matter basis, after dehairing/fleshing | 80 – 93 | 88 |
| moisture (bound water)equilibrium at ~20 °C / 60 % RH; strongly affects stiffness | 8 – 16 | 12 |
| fat / lipids | 0.5 – 4 | 2 |
| non-collagenous protein (elastin, kerati | 1 – 5 | 2 |
| ash / mineral residuelime/salt residues from curing | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
Rawhide COMP — frequently asked
What is Rawhide COMP used for?
Rawhide COMP is typically used for mallet heads, drum skins, lacing/thongs and gear/pulley facing (historical). In short: toughest natural hide; non-marring strike face; hardens to shape on drying.
What is the tensile strength of Rawhide COMP?
Rawhide COMP has a typical tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is Rawhide COMP easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 91% of natural material grades). Cut dry with sharp knives, punches or die/laser (watch scorch odour); light turning and drilling possible but keep speeds low to avoid heat-shrinking the collagen.
Can Rawhide COMP be welded?
Not weldable — join by lacing, riveting, sewing, or hide-glue/PVA/contact adhesive bonding.
What surface finishes work on Rawhide COMP?
Sand and burnish for a horn-like surface; seal with shellac, wax, oil or varnish to block moisture uptake and mould growth; do not dry above ~60 °C.
Can Rawhide COMP be formed, bent or molded?
Soak in cool water until pliable, stretch or mould over a form, then air-dry under tension — it hardens and holds the shape (shrinks a few percent).
What is the maximum service temperature of Rawhide COMP?
Rawhide COMP is rated for continuous use to about 75°C (167 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook — natural and biological materials data — ASM International (1988)
- The Mechanical Design of Organisms / collagen tissue mechanics data — Princeton University Press (1979)
- Leather and hide property compilations (SLTC/UNIDO leather processing data) — UNIDO (2010)
- Rawhide mallet and hammer-face insert product data — Garland / Nupla tool catalogues (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.