Steel wire and method of manufacturing steel wire

A steel wire consisting of a steel containing:

• 0.9 mass % to 1.1 mass % of carbon;
• 0.15 mass % to 0.25 mass % of silicon;
• 0.25 mass % to 0.35 mass % of manganese;
• 0.15 mass % to 0.25 mass % of chromium;
• and
• a balance being Fe and incidental impurities,
• wherein the steel wire includes a pearlite structure,
• wherein the steel wire has a diameter of 0.05 mm to 0.45 mm,
• wherein the steel wire has a tensile strength of 3900 MPa to 4700 MPa,
• wherein the steel wire is analyzed in a longitudinal cross section that is parallel to a Y-axis and passes through a center of the steel wire, the Y-axis being parallel to a longitudinal axis of the steel wire, and an X-axis and a Z-axis each being orthogonal to the Y-axis,
• wherein the steel wire has a surface region extending from a surface of the steel wire to a depth corresponding to 10% of the diameter of the steel wire,
• wherein, in an observation field of the surface region having a length of 100 μm along the Y-axis and a length of 20 μm along the X-axis, crystal orientations of grains are analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction,
• wherein a ratio A100 is an average of:
• (i) an area ratio of grains having a <100> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the X-axis to all grains in the observation field, and
• (ii) an area ratio of grains having a <100> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the Z-axis to all grains in the observation field,
• wherein a ratio A110 is an average of:
• (i) an area ratio of grains having a <110> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the X-axis to all grains in the observation field, and
• (ii) an area ratio of grains having a <110> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the Z-axis to all grains in the observation field,
• wherein a ratio A111 is an average of:
• (i) an area ratio of grains having a <111> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the X-axis to all grains in the observation field, and
• (ii) an area ratio of grains having a <111> orientation at an angle of 10° or less relative to the Z-axis to all grains in the observation field,
• wherein a total ratio A, defined as A100+A110+A111, is 29% or less,
• wherein a total orientation density B, defined as B100+B111, is 8.40 to 9.00,
• wherein B100 is a maximum value among local maximum points in a pole figure of {100} planes determined from the observation field, and
• wherein B111 is a maximum value among local maximum points in a pole figure of {111} planes determined from the observation field.