The tribological interaction between a cemented carbide drawing die and a steel wire under lubricated wire drawing conditions has been characterized using 3D optical surface profilometry, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that wear of the cemented carbides mainly is located to three different wear zones, i) at the entrance of the reduction zone, ii) at the exit of the reduction zone/ entrance of the bearing zone and iii) at the exit of the bearing zone. In the first wear zone, wear of the cemented carbide occurs on a WC grain size level and is controlled by plastic deformation, cracking and fragmentation of individual WC grains. In the second wear zone, wear of the cemented carbide is controlled by chipping of small WC/Co composite fragments resulting in craters, ~ 10μm in diameter.