A couple weeks ago, Mike sent me samples of the new FD NS 3/0 spiral blades. I finally got a chance to test them out. I did some test cuts in 1/8" BB ply and 1/4" BB ply. The blades cut both thicknesses easily and handled as nicely as the NS 2/0 blades do. There didn't seem to be any weakness to the blades, although they are noticeably smaller than the 2/0. Once installed and tensioned, they didn't flex much, and the test blade stood up to all the test cuts I made (forward, backward and sideways). I really put some pressure on the blade, within reason, just to see if it would break while cutting. It held strong and kept cutting away. I can't see these blades breaking under normal use.
These blades will definitely have a place in my inventory, as I can see using them for the really intricate portraits and some veining work. I've attached a picture of some cuts into a scrap piece of 1/8" cherry with a penny included for size reference.
