Evidence shows that the strain path significantly influences the subsequent material mechanical behaviors, while the strain path effect is neglected in the classical material models. In order to study the influence of strain path on wire property and establish a more accurate material model that will take strain path effects into consideration for improving drawn-wire production, the evolution of strain path must be investigated in cold wire drawing. In this article, three typical models for the expression of strain path change (SPC), which are written by strain rate, strain and stress deviator, respectively, are discussed. Mechanisms of strain path evolution in wire drawing, and the effect of die angle and reduction rate on SPC are investigated via finite element modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]