General Tools & Instruments, began as the brainchild of Abe and Lillian Rosenberg in New York City, 1922. Originally dubbed General Hardware Manufacturing Co., the company specialized in the wholesale of "hard goods," offering a full-range of domestic and professional items from clothesline pulleys and screen-door hardware, to specialty hand tools.

Abe continued to develop a line of useful products for both consumer and commercial purposes. His thirst for new ideas kept General at the forefront of the industry and, accordingly, the company became one of the first to build die-cast tools.