•        WORRY-FREE 
    LIFETIME WARRANTY

  • EARN POINTS AND REDEEM
             FOR REWARDS

  • TRUSTED BY CANADIANS

                 SINCE 1912

  • Over 5000 Tools

    To Choose From

0
Gray Tools Online Store
    • 0
    • CATALOGUE
    • SPECIALS
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • CLEARANCE
    • STUDENT PROGRAM
      • HOW IT WORKS
      • SIGN-UP
    • BLOG
    • ABOUT
      • OUR STORY
      • OUR HERITAGE
      • YOUR STORIES
      • REVIEWS
    • CONTACT
    Free Shipping on Orders $99+
    • CATALOGUE
    • SPECIALS
      • Back
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • CLEARANCE
    • STUDENT PROGRAM
      • Back
      • HOW IT WORKS
      • SIGN-UP
    • BLOG
    • ABOUT
      • Back
      • OUR STORY
      • OUR HERITAGE
      • YOUR STORIES
      • REVIEWS
    • CONTACT
    • Call
    • Directions
      • Gray Tools Online StoreHome
      • Gray Tools Official Blog
      • The Gray Tools Story-Expansion Into Hand Tools

      The Gray Tools Story-Expansion Into Hand Tools

      • Gray Tools Official Blog
      • 24 Feb, 2016
      • Posted by: Gray Tools

       

        Gray Tools Combination Wrench 1922

       

      This is an excerpt from the book "Gray Tools-A 100 Year History" written by Alex and Gail Gray.

      In 1919, when sales of war machinery to the Canadian government declined, the company turned to selling ball bearings. It was felt that these could be sold into a large segment of the industrial market, since they could be used individually or incorporated into many other devices and machines.

      Because of this significant shift in the product line, the company changed its name to better advertise its wares. It was now known as the Gray Ball Bearing Company Limited.

      To further increase sales, a second product line was introduced, which included water-supply systems and power pumps that were equipped with high-quality ball bearing to minimize friction.

      Other sidelines of the factory included repair work on damaged machines and the manufacturing of any specialized machinery that the engineering department could design and build. No job was too large or too small for the company to handle.

      The first hand-tool catalogue was printed in 1922. There were two editions of the catalogue, which were identical except for the cover. The Canadian edition Gray-Toronto was issued by the Gray Ball Bearing Company Limited. The American edition Gray-Batavia was issued by Gray Machine and Parts Corporation of Batavia, New York.

      The catalogue listed 302 different hand tools including sockets, wrenches, handles, extension bars, universal joints, and associated parts. In addition, many wrench sets were produced specifically for certain cars made at that time.

      For example, set #6038 contained twenty wrenches of different size and shape; this set was to be sold to the garage servicing a Ford car or truck. Set #6039 was to be sold to the Ford car owner and contained four wrenches.

      In 1923, the company introduced two major innovations to its manufacturing process. These were well described in the 1924 catalogue:

      "In the automotive trade, the majority of the Wrenches used by the garage man require the outside diameter to be as small as possible, so that the wrench socket can reach the nut in the many hard-to-get-at parts of an automobile. This makes the socket wall, of necessity, very thin; therefore the material entering into these Wrenches will be the prime factor in obtaining durability.

      We have, after consultation with several of the largest steel mills, decided to manufacture our Wrenches, where the socket wall requires to be particularly thin, from the best steel procurable, viz: Chrome Nickel Steel.

      We have further decided to make these wrenches by a Drop Forged Method, which will produce a wrench with no weld, no join, and from one piece of Chrome Nickel Steel. All solid  Socket Wrenches up to and including 3/4-inch opening will be made by this method."

      So, by 1927, the company advertised itself as being "manufacturers of Wrenches, Gear and Wheel Pullers, Starting Cranks, Automobile Parts and Heavy Duty Stampings".

      • Share
      • Tweet

      Leave a comment

      Comments have to be approved before showing up

      Recent posts
      Blog
      Inside the Tool: How Wrenches Are Made
      31 Mar, 2023
      Blog
      The Ultimate Socket Buyer’s Guide
      23 Jan, 2023
      Blog
      Gray Tools Management System: Complete Tool Control that Pays for Itself Quickly
      09 Nov, 2020
      Tags
      • All
      • hammers
      • pry bar
      • toolbox
      Sign up to Newsletter

      ...And Receive 15% Off Your First Order

      Gray Tools Online Store
      Gray Tools Canada Inc.
      299 Orenda Road, Brampton, Ontario, Canada L6T 1E8
      Information
      • Shipping Info
      • Warranty Support
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Policies and Procedures
      About
      • Catalogue
      • Specials
      • Student Program
      • Blog
      • Contact

      © 2023 Gray Tools Online Store. All Rights Reserved

      Product successfully added to your Shopping Cart

      Continue Shopping
      Proceed to Checkout

      Sample Product

      To help Gray Tools optimize our national distribution partner network please follow the two-step process below...
      Please Enter Your Postal Code