This study was designed to investigate the possible use of cermets, cubic boron nitrides, ceramics, and artificlal diaminds for wood-cutting tools. The performance in wood cutting of tools was examined and oompared with cemented tungsten-carbide tools through observations of tool wear, and cutting noise in the interrupted turning of the core layer of particleboards. The amount of wear on clearance face, and noise level produced by turning for all tools investigated increase with the length of cut. The amount of wear was greatest on the ceramic tool which included zirconia as one of the components(Al2), greater on the ceramic tool which includes silica as one of the components(Al4) and on the ceramic tool(Al3)than that on the cemented tangusten-carbide tool, (WC) lower on the ceramic tool which included titanium-carbide as one of the oomponents(Al1) and on the cermet tool(TiN) than that on the cemented tangusten-carbide tool, and least on the cubic boron nitride(CBN) and artrificial diamond(D) tools for equal lengths of cut (Fig.3). The measured wear on the clearanceface in the interrupted turning was similar with that in the continuous turning(Fig.2 and 3). There was good correspondence between the amount of tool wear and noise level. It is expected that these materials will be used in practice as wood cutting tools when their cutting performance is considered alone.