This thesis is concerned with the study on the characteristics of the tool failure occuring at the beginning of cutting in finish machining of hardened steels such as carbon tool steel and alloy tool steel by a ceramic tool (Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$+TiC) with nose radius. In the machining of hardened carbon steel STC3, the wear mechanism on the flank face of the ceramic tool is abrasion wear. The mode of tool failure is developed into catastropic fracture with flaking. It is thought that the fracture caused by FeO and TiO$_{2}$ results from the oxidation of Fe in the workpice and TiC in the ceramic tool and the deposit of Fe formed on the surface of the ceramic tool. In the machining of hardened alloy steel STD11, the wear mechanism on the flank face of the ceramic tool is that abrasion and adhesion wear exist simultaneously. The mode of tool failure at the beginning of cutting features is DOC notch wear. It is thought that the DOC notch wear caused by FeO and TiO$_{2}$results from the oxidation of Fe and TiC in the workpiece and ceramic tool, respectively.