choosing a wire saw

When choosing a wire saw, the cord and handles can be considered seperately.
Cord

By far the most important features of the cord are its strength and sharpness (and how it retains sharpness, as you cannot sharpen a wire saw). Both of these will be a big factor in how effective the saw is. The strength will often be stated on good saws. If possible it is strongly recommended to find how hard pulling at the breaking strength feels (on anything, you don't need the saw to try this). Ideally it will be signinificantly more than you can pull, but this is usually not the case. Also, the conditions of use can make the saw weaker than its stated strength. As for sharpness, checking for serrations or added grains such as diamond fragments generally indicates better sharpness. Generally, you get what you pay for, but the only real way to be sure is to use the saw (for a prolonged time if you want to see how quickly it gets blunt).

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* corrosion resistance
* attachment of handles to blade

Handles

The handles are important but less so than the cord, especially as it is often relatively easy to remove and and attatch different handles to the saw. The handles you want are dependant on what you need from the saw: fabric handles are smaller and lighter, rods stronger and usually easier to use. Avoid very small handles of either type, they are uncomfortable and can break. Higher quality materials for either type are recommended to avoid the handle breaking.