Agent and method for machining metal and for cleaning metal or anticorrosion treatment

A process for metal cutting using a water-mixed cutting compound and subsequent cleansing and corrosion protective treatment wherein an oil in water emulsion is used as a cutting compound which contains;(I) an amount emulsifier system consisting of:(a) ethyoxylates/propoxylates of fatty alcohols having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alcohol, which contains 2 to 6 ethylene oxide units and 4 to 8 propylene oxide units;(b) fatty alcohols and/or fatty alcohols propoxylates having 12 to 24 carbon atoms in the alcohol and 0 to 3 propylene oxide units and/or distillation residues of such fatty alcohols;In a ratio by weight, a:b=1:0.2 to 0.2:1;and(ii) corrosion inhibitory; and an aqueous solution or suspension is used for cleansing an anti-corrosion treatment which contains the same emulsifier system and the corrosion inhibitors as the cutting compound. The cutting compound and the cleansing and corrosion protective treatment material comprise a systems for treating the metal during cutting and cleansing.