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Texturing on tools is thought to improve cutting performance by increasing tool life and reducing process forces by reducing friction between the tool and the chip, and in between the tool and the machined surface. This paper tests this hypothesis for finish turning of a hardened bearing steel using twelve differently textured PcBN tools. Of the twelve textured tools, five have textures on their rake face, three have them on the flank face below the nose, three more have textures on the flank face below the secondary cutting edge, and one has textures on the chamfer of the cutting edge. Textures of varying orientation, size, and spacing were fabricated using a laser and a focused ion beam. Cutting experiments were conducted dry at a fixed speed and feed and with chamfered low-CBN content tools. Experiments reveal that cutting performance characterized by tool life, process forces, and workpiece surface quality is …