Wire ropes were formerly made of galvanised steel wire twisted round a fibre core, but today most are made from stainless steel, which is more resistant to corrosion.

NON-FLEXIBLE
Used where no bending is required such as in the rigging of yachts and radio masts. The more usual construction of strand used for standing rigging is that of six single wires twisted round one core wire, then another twelve twisted round these - the rope being made up of 19 wires in all.

FLEXIBLE
Very workable and allows the wire to be wound round the drum of a crane or winch or through pulleys in a tackle. Blocks should not be less than six times the diameter of the wire. The rope is constructed by twisting a number of individual wires round a wire core to form a strand, and then several of these twisted clockwise (usually) round a central strand to form the rope.
Joining wire ropes or splicing an eye in one end by hand is complex; it is normally better to have wires mechanically spliced.  One method is to bend the wire to form an eye and to swage a soft metal ferrule (copper for stainless steel and alloy for galvanised wire) around the two strands.  The eye can be formed around a steel thimble to prevent chafe at the bearing point.