Liam Oden spends his days as a Tucson nurse, but in his off hours he's building a following on Instagram as the one-man maker behind Barrel Proof Leather, hand-crafting wallets, bags and, most recently, shoes.

When Oden isn’t working, he spends his time leathercrafting, creating items including wallets, purses, backpacks and shoes.

Oden first learned how to make leather goods through a family friend. His mother worked at a care home, and the man she assisted there taught Oden the craft.

“It was quite a struggle for me. I did not know there was this whole other side to leathercraft,” he told Tucson Spotlight.

But It wasn’t until years later that Oden got serious and learned how to master the craft. 

Oiginally from Tucson, Oden moved with his wife to Oregon for four years before returning to the Sonoran Desert.

In 2018, he learned that the man who taught him leathercrafting had died, leaving his tools to Oden and inspring him to return to the craft. 

It started with gifts for friends and special requests from coworkers for bags and wallets, then "evolved from there."

“Primarily, I just like to solve problems. With leathercraft I am able to generate and then sort of engineer a way to solve those problems,” he said.

Eventually, Oden started posting his creations on Instagram and curating his brand, Barrel Proof Leather, named after whiskey. 

Barrel proof whiskey is undiluted alcohol that is stronger in content and has a higher alcohol percentage.

Oden drew a creative comparison to leather and eventually landed on the name.

“It is pure, it is not watered down, it has high strengths. It just felt appropriate,” he said. 

One of the most unique designs under the Barrel Proof Leather name is a piece called the "blue-collar backpack," a featured product whose pockets and flaps resemble overalls.

“I started as a joke when work wear was really big in street fashion,” Oden said of the design choice. “But the construction of the bag turned out exactly how I wanted it to.”

All Oden’s designs are original pieces or inspired from works that friends or family have requested for him to make. 

“My designs are based on a true story so to speak,” Oden said.  “If there’s a weird shape of a bag I have never seen before or a new method of construction, it creates this problem … I need to solve. I just kick ideas around in my head. If it’s been tormenting me long enough I need to make it.” 

Oden sources his leather from different places, some local, but he also orders online from a high-quality tannery, getting products from New York and Italy.

Italpel is an Italian tannery that has produced a vegetable-tan leather called Tucson since the 1960s, which Oden now uses for many of his products. 

While Oden and his wife were vacationing in Italy, he had the opportunity to see the leather in-person. After ordering online, the store owner invited Oden to tour the tannery.

“It’s near and dear to my heart being from Tucson and because I was able to visit the tannery and meet the owner, seeing the leather process,” he said. 

Although his goods are desirable, they are not easy to come by. Having sold at markets in the past, Oden said he enjoys the crafting process more than making a profit.

“There was a time where I needed leathercraft and Barrel Proof Leather as a salvation for myself,” he said, explaining how stressors in his life made him appreciate the enjoyment the craft brings.

Barrel Proof’s goods are available for purchase at pop-up markets. Questions about custom orders can be directed through Barrel Proof’s Instagram page.

Emma Diaz is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist based in Tucson.

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