Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for guiding at least two steel wires from a furnace into a lead bath. The steel wires are kept separated, and, after leaving the furnace, guided over a cooled roller. The roller is turning at a peripheral speed that nearly equals the speed of the steel wires. After this, the steel wires disappear into the lead bath and are guided further under an immersed roller, the steel wires making an angle larger than 150.degree. over the cooled roller and under the immersed roller. The furnace-lead bath transition is sealed by a hood that lets through as little air as possible.