Gray-Grimes Tool Co. made patent boring heads that were distributed by Last Word Sales Co., also of Detroit. Those patent boring heads are known to have been manufactured by Detroit's DeSoto Tool Co. in the mid-1940s (within a couple of years of the patent being issued). It appears that Gray-Grimes took over manufacture of the boring heads from DeSoto. A search failed to turn up any mention of a connection between DeSoto and Gray-Grimes.

The titular Gray was Elway Gray, who by 1974 was the sole owner of both Gray-Grimes and Last Word. We do not know the identify of Grimes.

In 1974 International Union, United Automobile, Aero-space and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, (UAW) organized a union vote at Gray-Grimes. Elway Gray was strongly against unionizing and some of his remarks and actions in opposition to the unionization were illegal. When the vote went ahead anyway and resulted in a pro-union result just before Thanksgiving, Gray promptly shut down Gray-Grimes Tool Co., laying off all the workers. Through Last Word Sales Co., he contracted with Twin Bay Industries, near Traverse City, MI, to manufacture the products formerly made by Gray-Grimes. Predictably, the union sued Gray-Grimes and won, resulting in a settlement where Gray was required to give back pay to all the laid-off workers in lieu of proper notice.

Information Sources

• Undated sales brochure for "Samson" boring chucks, "Pat. No. 2276462". The last page of the brochure says, "Manufactured by Gray-Grimes Tool Co. for Last Word Sales Company / 18500 Mt. Elliott / Detroit 34, Michigan / Also, distributor of Last Word Wheel Dressers / Gray-Grimes Steady-Rests".
• A lawsuit involving Gray-Grimes Tool Co. and employee pensions provides some insight into the business. They were in business in 1974, their workers were members of International Union, United Automobile, Aero-space and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, (UAW), and Last Word Sales Co. was a closely related company. There were about 17 employees at Gray-Grimes and about 6 at Last Word.

  Gray-Grimes is located at 18500 Mt. Elliot in Detroit, with Last Word at 18520 Mt. Elliot; an alley runs between the two buildings. Elway Gray is president of Gray-Grimes and the sole stockholder therein, Gray is also the sole proprietor of Last Word. Gray-Grimes is engaged in two kinds of work, "detail work," which it performs for automotive customers, principally Ford, General Motors,and Chrysler, and product work, for which Last Word receives the orders, but Gray-Grimes produces the product. When Gray-Grimes finishes work on the products,they are taken to Last Word for distribution, packaging,and shipping. The detail work performed at Gray-Grimes is also taken to Last Word, where it is repacked and shipped. Between 75 and 80 percent of Gray-Grimes' business has been detail work. The dollar volume of business between Gray-Grimes and Last Word, consisting of the products manufactured at the former and sold and distributed by the latter, has ranged in recent years from about $12,000 to about $30,000 monthly.

  The judge ruled that Gray-Grimes and Last word were, "for practical purposes, a single enterprise."