The elastic deformation work(EDW) and elastic-plastic deformation work (EPDW) of M2 high speed steel ,M2A1 high speed steel and 301 high speed steel are neasured be simulating the real use situations and using the thermal torsion analysis. It is found that the reason that the M2A1 high speed steel' s use characters are superior to those of the M2 one is that the former has higher EDW and EPDW.Howerer,the EDW and EPDW of 301 high speed steel are much lower than those of M2 one . So mechanical cutting tools can't be made from it. The results show that the EDW and EPDW measured with the thermal torsion analysis are the main criteria to evaluate the use characters of high speed steels.