By 1918 Arthur DeSaules and Walter Hall founded D. & H. Precision Tool Co. in Newark, NJ, to manufacture lathes and cutting-off machines. Their machines were reportedly widely used for creating tungsten points used in automobile engines and in telephone systems. Following Hall's death in 1944, Arthur's brother Louis DeSaules joined the business which relocated to East Orange at some point. In 1969 the brothers split the business, with Arthur running D & H Cutoff Co. and Louis running D & H Precision Tool Co.

Arthur ran D & H Cutoff Co., manufacturing lathes and cutoff machines, until he retired in 1994 at age 78; he died a couple of years later. (Note: this timeline really doesn't work, does it? It implies that Arthur was born in 1916 and co-founded the company as a two year old. It seems likely that there was another generation involved.) Son Arty and daughter Patty ran the business after their father's retirement. Employee Eric Smith would become a partner in 2005, and on Arty's retirement in 2014 Smith took over the business, relocating it to Stewartsville, NJ. Eric's brother Kyle Smith is also active in the business.

Information Sources

• The history here is summarized from the website of D. & H. Cutoff.
• 1918 The Industrial Directory of New Jersey (published by the New Jersey Bureau of Industrial Statistics, Department of Labor) lists D. & H. Precision Tool Co., makers of tools and special machinery, with about 10 employees.
• 1920 Newark Directory lists "D & H Precision Tool Co (Arthur DeSaules and Walter L Hall) machinery mfrs dies and special tools 68 Orchard tel Market 6640". An ad reads, in part, "We design and build special machinery, manufacture precision bench lathes, tungsten and platinum cutting machinery, and are equipped to do all kinds of gauge, jig and fixture work and high speed steel tools of any description. / D & H Precision Tool Co. Newark, N. J. 68 Orchard Street..."
• 1947 Directory of Metalworking Machinery (published by the United States War Assets Administration) lists D & H Precision Tool Co., Code 2358.
• 1974 Conover-Mast Purchasing Directory lists, under categories such as "Honing" and "Machine work to order", D & H Precision Tool Co., 144 K Street, Seaside Park, NJ.
• 1985 ,cite>George D. Hall's New Jersey Manufacturers Directory lists D & H Precision Tool Corp., 574 Fischer Blvd Toms River NJ 08753.