Is there a way to speed up the patina process?

^^ eric, you're lucky you can get the hermes baum -- it's no longer available in the US because of a tiny amount of a petroleum product which tags it as a potential terrorist shipment (or something like that).

You're kidding?! Quelle horreur!! I can't live without mine....read the ingredients, and it DOES contain a minute amount of petroleum distillates. The rest is good(for leather) but it isn't all that friendly. Within the list is,.....'SEAL OIL'.

Sigh....It works though.