Five kinds of commercial fluids are examind in the short time cutting test using the high speed steel SKH 5 and SCM steel. The effect of cutting fluids upon the cutting temperature, the cutting force and the built up edge are obtained in this test. The representative two kinds of the cutting fluids in the above test are used in the long time cutting test to estimate the effect upon the tool life. The results show that cutting temperature and cutting force in wet cutting are lower than those in dry cutting, but tool life does not always extend in wet cutting against expectation. It is therefore noticed that the cutting fluids should be selected in accordance with the cutting purpose.