The Quarton family's relationship with fine steel began in 1977, when Barr Quarton first picked up a hammer and started working with tool steel. As a professional knife maker, Barr spent decades collaborating with some of the country's most respected bladesmiths and blacksmiths, constantly refining his craft.

A pivotal moment came in 1985, when an Idaho Arts Council grant gave Barr the rare opportunity to apprentice with a traditional Japanese swordsmith — an experience that deepened his understanding of steel, heat, and the pursuit of perfection.

Barr channeled that lifetime of knowledge into the creation of fine woodworking hand tools. At a time when most tools are mass-produced through drop forging, stamping, or cutting — and poorly tempered to boot — Barr set out to offer something different. Each tool is hand forged with hammers, a process that compresses the steel and concentrates its carbon content. More carbon means a superior cutting edge, plain and simple. Every tool is then annealed, quenched, tempered to the ideal hardness, and fitted with a hardwood handle that seats properly in the socket. A shock ring on top keeps the handle from splitting under hard use.

Today, Barr's son Jess Quarton has carried the torch, taking over the family business and continuing the same uncompromising standards his father built over a lifetime. The commitment remains the same: every tool leaves the shop shaving sharp, backed by a one-year satisfaction guarantee and available for resharpening and repair at any time for a nominal fee.