At Proper Tool Co., we believe that great products are built by great people. Our goods aren’t just made in a shop—they are crafted in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, by a passionate, hard-working team who takes pride in what they do. Come inside our shop and meet the people, place, and processes that make Proper Tool Co. what it is.
Why We Started
Proper Tool Company was born from our mission for constant improvement and elevated organization around our own shop. We analyzed our individual workspaces as a team, and came up with solutions. These products worked so well for us, we knew we had to make these products easily available to everyone.
Initially, we started selling tool organization products through our sister company, Bold MFG & Supply, but soon realized that these products had their own unique identity. That’s when Proper Tool Co. was launched in 2024—to create high-quality, thoughtfully designed organization solutions specifically for DIY enthusiasts, woodworkers, metalworkers, and craftsmen.
Behind The Name
We realized this concept of “Proper” reached beyond just the workplace. Our Founder, Jonathan Duke, named the company with intention. Jonathan is the ultimate handyman. This guy knows how to do everything and if he doesn’t know how, you can bet he is going to figure it out.
“I am constantly fixing, improving, creating and experimenting whether at home, or in the shop. I also move a million miles an hour and tend to leave a path of destruction,” he says with humorous self-critique. “There is no better feeling of getting a job done right and I started to really break it down and think about all the things that help me do that. Support from my wife and kids, my team at work and most importantly, having the right tool in the proper place when you need it.” Jonathan takes a gulp of his daily 3pm coffee.
“The idea for Proper Tool Company emerged from my own imperfections. I wanted to cut down on precious minutes I took looking for that ONE wrench or screwdriver or drill. Digging through the junk drawer in my toolbox only to come up empty handed or running from one end of our shop to the other just looking for a damn tape measure. The years I’ve wasted looking for a tape measure!!” he shouts in genuine disgust. “Anyway, I wanted to create products that gave tools a proper home. I wanted the mental real estate back that my own lack of organization stole from me. My mission is to design quality products that just make our lives, well, easier.” Enter, Proper Tool Company.
Texas Is Our Home
Nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, about 15 miles outside of downtown Austin, our workshop is more than just a place where we make products—it’s where ideas take shape, creativity flows, and teamwork thrives. The wide-open spaces, rolling hills, and clear skies inspire us daily, giving us room to think big and work hard. Let us set the scene; our next door neighbors are a cow, 5 chickens and 2 goats. We’ve collectively named the cow Waylon (the cow is unaware of this).
The quiet serenity of the landscape contrasts with the hum of machinery in the shop. It’s a place where rugged nature meets precision engineering, and that’s reflected in every product we make.
The Proper Team
Our team is the heart and soul of Proper Tool Co. We’re a tight-knit group of craftsmen who bring a wide range of skills and personalities to the table—but we all share one thing: a passion for creating high-quality products that help others organize and elevate.
We have Jonathan, who wears just about every hat you can wear as a small business owner, and does it gracefully. Real talk, he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet (he’s going to read this).
Victor, who has arguably the hardest job of all, managing the entire shop. This includes production timelines, day to day schedules, getting orders out the door and executing Jonathan’s wild ideas. Vic goes far beyond his designated role and is the mentor of the group.
Kristin, who Jonathan has the absolute pleasure of being married to, takes care of all things administrative in our office. She is a real life superwoman. Juggling 3 kids, a business and a golden retriever named Autumn. The best part about Kristin? She gives the best hugs.
Inge (ing-guh) is our Customer Service and Sales powerhouse. Have a question, comment or concern? She's your girl. When she's not chatting with customers, she's always willing to help out in the shop and get her hands dirty. And yes, she has her own tool belt.
Emma is our queen of Marketing. Her job is to spread the good word about our products and we always count on her to bring the positive vibes. She's not afraid of a little metal dust, and we love her for that. Fun fact: Emma and Inge are identical twins!
Rudy, our master fabricator, and undoubtedly, the best whistler known to man. He is a pro on the break and the most photogenic member of the family. If he's not performing a cheer routine with his daughter, you can find him perfecting his craft while singing the most recent pop hit.
Manny is another one of our fabrication experts. He used to be a pro tennis player, so you know he's good with his hands. His role on the team is 'annoying little brother' because he always has a prank up his sleeve or is popping out behind a door to scare you.
Noah is an excellent fabricator and more recently, our powder coating rockstar. This guy can do just about anything, including shredding it up on a dirt bike track. When he's not filming himself welding for a TikTok video, he's finding a new car to work on (mostly, to go faster).
Bo is in charge of shipping all things big and small. Being one of the newer members of the team, he's been coined the best nickname: Bodacious (don't worry, he approved it). We love his attention to detail and his dry humor.
Julie, the newest addition to the family, is the other half of our shipping department. She's become an Tetris expert when finding the perfect way to pack our products. She's a sweet country girl, and we are so excited to have her on the team.
Nolan is the man of many talents. He powder coats, countersinks, deburrs, and occasionally overflows the wash sink. He has a heart of gold and is always down to provide help wherever needed.
Matt, the true man of the hour, or as we like to call him, our Laser Elf.
