A stainless steel wire is plated with nickel (Ni) to a thickness of from not less than 1 .mu.m to not more than 5 .mu.m. An inorganic salt coat film mainly composed of at least one of potassium sulfate and borax (borate) and free from fluorine (F) or chlorine (Cl) is then deposited on the nickel (Ni) plate 2 as the substrate. The steel wire is then drawn to a reduction of area of not less than 60% to adjust the surface roughness thereof to a range of from 0.80 to 12.5 .mu.mRz, preferably from 1.0 to 10.0 .mu.mRz.