FREE-CUTTING STEEL AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME

Provided is a free-cutting steel that, despites not containing Pb, has machinability by cutting higher than or equal to that of a low carbon sulfur-lead composite free-cutting steel. A free-cutting steel comprises: a chemical composition that contains, in mass %, C: less than 0.09%, Mn: 0.50% to 1.50%, S: 0.250% to 0.600%, O: more than 0.010% and 0.050% or less, and Cr: 0.50% to 1.50%, with a balance consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities, and in which a A value defined by the following formula (1) is 6.0 to 18.0, and a steel microstructure in which at least 500 particles/mm2 of sulfide of less than 1 μm in equivalent circle diameter and at least 2000 particles/mm2 of sulfide of 1 μm to 5 μm in equivalent circle diameter are distributed.