Rawhide, Clean

a semifinished product of leather in the pretanning stage; the derma of a hide, free of the hair covering and epidermis, subcutaneous cellular tissue, and extraneous substances. The quality of the clean rawhide determines the tensile and elongation strength of the leather, as well as its resistance to air and steam, its softness and stiffness, and its plasticity and pliability. The ability of the derma to bind tanning substances is to a certain degree also conditioned by the way the clean rawhide is prepared for tanning. Clean rawhide obtained and dried in a certain manner can also serve as such end products of leather production as parchment and rawhide.