In spite of the developments of new materials as cemented carbides and ceramics, which allow the use of higher cutting speeds, high speed steels are widely used as tool materials. Machining processes that need high resistance tools, as well as limiting characteristics on machine tools are the main reasons for the use of this material. The direction of sharpening, among others factors, has a crucial influence in the tool-life. The inadequate sharpening operation causes early rupture of tools. The problems arising from inadequate sharpening can be minimized with the use of coating. This work analyzes the influence of sharpening and coating by TiN and TiAlN, deposited by PVD process on the tool-life of sintered high speed steels. Square shaped tool inserts with specific chipbrakers were used on turning and evaluated by the amount of flank wear. It was found that no-coated tools, with flanks sharpened in the horizontal direction and nose radius sharpened in the vertical direction, presented an augmented wear, diminishing the tool-life. The wear is located in the transition region, between the sharpening directions, where a flux of carbides was identified. On the other hand, the coating with TiN or TiAlN, increased the tool-life, but the wear next to the corner still appears. As a conclusion, it can be said that the adequate sharpening is imperative to the tool-life, with or without coating. Moreover, the combination of good sharpening and coating guarantees a better surface finishing, maximizing the properties of the substratum-tool interface.