A leather finishing process in which, in pertinent part, a warm water
milling step is added after the base coat is applied to "crust" leather
and cured. The warm water contains at least one dye fixation agent
including but not limited to about 0.1-2.0% by weight of formic acid.
Moreover, the base coat itself is an aqueous base coat containing at
least two polymers such as an acrylic salt or a polyurethane salt.
Between the polymeric constituents of the base coat, the acid fixation
agent, and the use of the warm water milling step after the base coat has
been applied and dried, a surprisingly natural feel to the leather is
attained without loss of excellent adhesion, wear-resistance and other
properties when the leather is completely finished.