Rawhide is a hide or animal skin that has not been exposed to tanning. It is similar to parchment, much lighter in color than leather made by traditional vegetable tanning. Rawhide is more susceptible to water than leather, and it quickly softens and stretches if left wet unless well waterproofed.

Having your rawhide in the right condition is real important in making smooth work, You can't just pick a piece of rawhide up and braid it, you have to wet it, dampen it, and then let it mellow, and get it in the right texture. If it's too wet, then when you braid it and it dries, it leaves gaps in the rawhide.