Gray Ratchet

[79fordF2]

I picked up this old Gray 1/2” drive ratchet and three Proto sockets from a pawn shop yesterday for $20. I feel like I got a pretty decent deal since they seem to be of high quality. The ratchet also bears a striking resemblance to some of my older Snap On ratchets. Perhaps they were made in the same plant? Any idea how old it is?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Bonney made the gray stuff. Nice quality tools.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Gray was tied with Bonney until '62 when they split off. . So my dad refereed to his wrenches as Gray Bonney. But that would have been a pre war thing. His post war wrenches from the late '40s all said Gray only. That ratchet is their own pattern. It's my favourite pattern of all ratchets I have ever used. Second is mile back. Grays were HD, on par with J.H Williams and Proto and step above Snap -On.

The ratchet may or may not be vintage (+50 years). It's still current and is pricey

Grays are Canadian made.

 

[californiaHank]

Bonney made the gray stuff. Nice quality tools.

No. The OP's tools were made in Brampton, Ontario (Canada). The Gray-Bonney partnership didn't last very long, and was over by about 1960, and the OP's ratchet is much newer than that. Gray still makes ratchets that look pretty much like the one the OP has, except the ones in current production are high polish chrome instead of satin, and the mechanisms have higher tooth counts.

Gray doesn't market their stuff in the US, so most Americans don't know the brand, but it's a real common one in Canada, especially among industrial/heavy equipment/mining/oil & gas/etc users.

Their first line stuff is roughly equivalent to Proto in price and quality (IMHO). They make their own sockets, ratchets, and wrenches in Brampton, but some of their stuff is outsourced. For example, a lot of the pliers they sell seem to be NWS re-brands (made in Germany).

They also have an economy line of tools under the "Dynamic Tools" brand name. Those seem to be mainly made in Taiwan, and unlike the "Gray Tools" branded stuff, the Dynamic tools are also sold in the US (through Amazon and other outlets).

 

[3baygarage]

Nice ratchet. I think you did fine for $20.

There is a date symbol chart. Might have been Lbgradwell who posted it somewhere.. Where is Lb these days? I don’t remember if it was on the old but Gazette that whole site is gone. The circle 5 is the marking.

 

[79fordF2]

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Similar to Snap On’s date codes. I hope somebody can come up with that chart. I believe its got to be over 30 years old comparing it to certain other models and it doesn’t have a very fine tooth count.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bonney made the gray stuff. Nice quality tools.

Gray was tied with Bonney until '62 when they split off.

The OP's tools were made in Brampton, Ontario (Canada). The Gray-Bonney partnership didn't last very long, and was over by about 1960,

The Gray-Bonney Tool Company, Ltd., was organized in 1933 and dissolved in 1961. Calling that a split doesn't seem quite right, though, since it was always a second, separate business entity for Bonney Forge and Tool Works. Bonney was making and selling their own tools that entire time; Gray wasn't. There was no second, independent Gray Tools at the same time.

But the Gray-Bonney tools were never made in the US, and never made for Gray by Bonney. They were made in Canada at the former Gray plant using Bonney designs, dies, and capital. I have never found anything that provided details of the "partnership," but it seems apparent that Bonney was receiving something out of the deal, a percentage or royalties. I remember reading something about the Depression causing the joint venture, which essentially saved Gray Forgings and Stampings from going under.

I've always been more interested in the dissolution. At that time Bonney was already sold to Miller Manufacturing in Detroit. Whatever arrangement the old Bonney had with Gray-Bonney, it must not have been worthwhile for Miller to want to retain. Bonney was sold again in 1964 to Kelsey-Hayes, and sold again shortly thereafter, along with Utica and Herbrand, to Triangle, soon losing any last vestiges of its former independent origins and designs. Ditto for Herbrand and Utica. Ironically, since Gray at least in part is still making some of its own tools.

 

[Odes]

I found this a while back which should make it a 1995 while not very old but still a good score


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[3baygarage]

Well there it be. Thanks for posting it.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’ve never actually seen any Gray tools in person or ever touched one and haven’t heard much about them so that’s a cool find.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

On their web site, history, they said that there was no benefit or something to that effect. When I was young having read something twice I could quote almost word for word years later, notice I might have screwed up the date.

My working tool box had a lot of Gray "maple leaf", their second line, in it. I couldn't afford their first line when I put it together. The wrenches got changed over one by one. They were the same as Snap-On of that period, just a lot cheaper. Sockets as they were lost. I sprung for a full polish ratchet and J-bar early on.

 

[bonneyman]

...Gray still makes ratchets that look pretty much like the one the OP has, except the ones in current production are high polish chrome instead of satin, and the mechanisms have higher tooth counts.
...

That's good to know! I have a 3/8" Bonney with that handle profile, and I like it alot. Might have to look into getting some of the new Gray contour tools.

 

[Farleyfan]

Here's a pic of my Grey flex 3/8 ratchet
Grey tools don't turn up often at my local flea market but i'm always lookin.

 

[wilsot7]

My Grandfather worked at the Gray-Bonney plant in the 1940's and got my Dad a summer job there in 1944. I am pretty sure we still have some of the tools that came off the forge at the Lansdowne Plant.