stanley bailey # 4 and #7 questions

I dont post much here but im always lurking. This is a great place to learn alot of stuff. Recently my father gave my a stanley #4 and a stanley#7 plane that my grandfather used to use, the bottoms are not flat, they are flutted along the length of the bottoms except at the ends and by the throat,just trying to figure out what these are for. The #4 iron was shaped kinda like a scrub plane iron, dont know if this means anything just trying to find out why the bottoms are like that or if they are used for something special,. Thanks for any replies........Andy
 
Andy
Theories abound as to why Stanley offered corrugated soles, but the truth is no one knows for sure (the answer has proven nearly as elusive as that of why saws have nibs).
As to your second question: the relieving (mild cambering) of the outside corners of smooth plane blades is to eliminate the possibility of creating "tracks" in the surface being smoothed.
 
Congratulations on receiving tools that have been handed down. These are something I treasure. I think of all the things that transpired while the owner had this or that particular tool in his hands on that day way before my time. I don't mean to get all retrospective but, using a tool that was used by my father or his father or an uncle long past is a wonderful thing.
 
Congratulations on receiving tools that have been handed down. These are something I treasure. I think of all the things that transpired while the owner had this or that particular tool in his hands on that day way before my time. I don't mean to get all retrospective but, using a tool that was used by my father or his father or an uncle long past is a wonderful thing.

you got that right glenn,, makes me wonder where the rest of the tools went,, would like to get more of them back in the family but its to late to talk with those who parted with them..
 
Thanks for all the responses. And yes I am ecstatic to have these, using the type study link on this sight i found out the #4 looks to be from WWll the screws that hold the tote and knob are steel and everything looks like the pictures from those years so it would have come from my great grandfather. im in the process of getting my self learned up on how to tune em up good. If they're looking down and notice I have them I wanna make em proud.....Thanks again..........Andy
 
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