Abstract Metal forming is important in traditional manufacturing processes, due to the small wastage of material and the possibility of large scale production economy. The design and analysis of metal forming can be very difficult, particularly for parts with complex shapes and past experience is often the sole available weapon. Considering this situation, physical modelling has been considered as a valuable tool, nowadays usually coupled with some type of mathematical simulation, such as the finite-element method (FEM). There are several types of model materials, but plasticine has been the most popular. This is a proprietary material, the properties of which can vary from batch-to-batch. A new model material, which can be manufactured under controlled conditions, was developed in this work. Its properties are presented and compared to those of traditional plasticine. Finally, its performance as a model material is evaluated considering plain-carbon steels.