Material for magnetic head substrate member

A magnetic head substrate member having improved machinability and formed of a sintered material which is obtained by sintering a mixture consisting essentially of:

• 5 to 45% by weight of titanium carbide component which is selected from the group consisting of TiC and titanium carbide components containing therein metal oxide (M.O.), said metal oxide (M.O.) being at least one selected from the group consisting of oxides of Ti, Ta and Nb;
• complex oxides thereof;
• suboxides thereof;
• and oxy-carbides thereof;
• the ratio of the metal oxide (M.O.) to said titanium carbide components containing therein the metal oxide (M.O.) being 15% or below by weight,
• 0.2 to 10% by weight of zirconium oxide,
• 0.05 to 2% by weight of oxide of yttrium,
• 0.2 to 25% by weight of aluminum nitride, and
• the balance being Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 component substituted with 0.5 to 8% by weight of at least one machinability agent selected from the group consisting of oxides of Mg, Ca, B, Ni and Cr and complex oxides thereof,
• 10 to 50% by weight of said TiC being substituted with at least one selected from the group consisting of carbides, and nitrides of Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Hf, Cr, W and Mo, borides of Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Hf, Cr, W and Mo and composite compounds thereof,
• wherein said oxide of yttrium is present in the form of a complex oxide with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the sintered material.