rough as a cob AmE

He's rough as a cob and cold as a snake.

Life, he reflected, was rough as a cob.

The breeze stiffened and the water was, in Allen's words, "rough as a cob."

Runnin' rough as a cob, like as if there's water in her gas tank.

As Miss Grace had said, Lainie had gotten as rough as a cob.

She swayed on into the house, and after Lainie was gone Miss Grace grunted and said, Shes as rough as a cob.