[exray]

In those days they used wirewound units more times than not for low values since the manufacturing of carbon resistors wasn't particularly well refined. Flex resistors like you are describing were handy for tight spots and the fact that they were wirewound gives them some power handling capability, moreso than a carbon of equivalent size. You see them often as the cathode resistor in audio amp stages...and in car radios where they could be bent to fit a tight space.
Wirewounds don't drift in value but these flexi ones are notorious for breaking internally and going open.