To provide a method for manufacturing a steel wire being the element wire of a high-strength and slender-diameter wire rope whose diameter is ≤1mm and a high-strength bead wire.

By using dies made of high-carbon steel wire ≥80% in the area factor of pearlite structure and whose approach angle is ≥6° to <12° and by setting an area-reducing factor per dies to ≥20% to <30%, the wire drawing is performed with a wire drawing strain quantity of ≥2.5 which is shown in formula (wire drawing strain quantity = 2×1n (Do/Dn)) (wherein, Do: wire diameter before wire drawing (mm), Dn: wire diameter after wire drawing (mm)), and then blueing treatment is performed in a temperature area of ≥380°C to <430°C. By appropriately controlling wire drawing condition and blueing condition, the high-carbon steel wire with high strength and high elongation can be manufactured, and an industrial effect is very much remarkable.