In March, an add showed up on Steve's blog site from Bestway Products
http://www.bestwayproductscompany.com/. They make bandsaw blades from a rolled wire with a sharp edge spiraling along the outside of the blade. I called them about bandsaw blades but they don't recommend use on small saws like my 14" Craftsman. I saw some scroll saw lengths available so I ordered some.
What I got was some blade sections 9" long, 0.040" diameter and 0.029" diameter. They look like a straight steel wire with a rolled edge that spirals around the wire and runs the full length of the blade (see 2nd photo below). I used heavy fencing pliers to cut them to 5 1/8" long like the FDUR blades I have in stock (NOTE - I would NOT use good wire cutters to cut them to length - you would likely put a notch in your cutters). I mounted one in my EX-21 to try some cuts. The 1st picture below (hope this is OK Scala150 - your father's got an interesting looking face) is 4" tall 1/4" BB Ply, so a small portrait. The detail is not great but that was my choice in testing these spiral cut blades. I drilled 1/16" pilot holes. This was cut with the 0.040" blade.
The blade was very easy to use, allowing continuous motion in any direction. It did not wander or leave a lot of jitter in the cut. The feel was more like filing or chiseling. It left a clean top side, although the bottom was pretty rough (there are no reverse teeth on these).
One thing - they held like iron in the blade clamps. The clamps have the rolled edge up into them, so there is an edge to hold on to. I don't know if this will cause any damage to the blade anvils, but I don't think it will.
2nd photo below is a shot of the blades. 3rd photo shows 0.040, 0.029, #1 spiral, FDUR#5, and a 2/0 blade cut in BB Ply.
Anyone who's had trouble controlling a spiral might want to give these a try. They seem very stable, easy to mount, stay clamped, and cut a nice top surface.
