Teflon-coated extrusion wire and forming mandrels for manufacturing cardio-vascular catheters, balloons, and related devices, where a clean inside diameter is absolutely critical, are fabricated using an etching process that eliminates flaking. Applied Plastic Co, Norwood, Mass., supplies the fine extrusion wire as spooled or cut to length, with a 0.05 coefficient of friction that prevents sticking and simplifies its removal from the catheter. Providing a slippery, anti-stick surface, the wire can produced using stainless steel, nitinol, platinum and silver plated copper core wire.  Sizes can range from 0.001 to 0.070-in. dia. with a 0.0001 in./side coating.