A process for drawing wire employing a lubricant comprising perfluorocarbon compounds (PFCs), including aliphatic perfluorocarbon compounds (.alpha.-PFCs) having the general formula C.sub.n F.sub.2n+2, perfluoromorpholines having the general formula C.sub.n F.sub.2n+1 ON, perfluoroamines (PFAs) and highly fluorinated amines (HFAs), and perfluoroethers (PFEs). Such fully and highly fluorinated carbon compounds exhibit a very high degree of thermal and chemical stability due to the strength of the carbon-fluorine bond. Further, because the compounds are fully fluorinated, and therefore do not contain chlorine and bromine, they have zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Further, because the compounds are photochemically non-reactive in the atmosphere, they are not precursors to photochemical smog and are exempt from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) volatile organic compound (VOC) definition. Further, because they are volatile, the compounds are easily removed at the end of the process without need for an additional cleaning step. The process provides wire at significantly higher production speeds and longer die life with improved quality and less byproduct debris.