In this paper, an attempt was made to explain the causes of surface delamination in high carbon steel wires during the torsion test. For end wires with 1.7 mm diameter drawn at speeds of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 m/s, technological tests were carried out. Then the susceptibility of the wire to plastic strain was determined. The microstructure analysis complemented the research. Analysis of the fracture torsion test showed that the wires drawn at speeds exceeding 15 m/s are delamination, which disqualify it as a material for a rope and a spring. The source of delamination in high carbon steel wires is their stronger strengthening, especially of the surface layer, which leads to a decrease in the orientation of the cementite laminaes and an increase in the degree of their fragmentation.