PURPOSE: To obtain a sintered friction material with improved shear strength which is useful for vehicles, airplanes, etc., by firing and sintering a metallic powder wherein metallic short fibers are compounded and dispersed.

CONSTITUTION: A copper powder and a tin powder with a dimension of pref. 200 mesh or smaller, an auxiliary such as a binder, and metallic short fibers made of copper are mixed and molded into a required shape. A metallic fiber with a fiber length of 2-6mm and a fiber diameter of 30-100μ is used as the metallic fiber and the amt. of loading of the metallic short fibers is pref. 2-10wt.% of the metallic powder. Then, the molded friction material is sintered by a well-known method. Parts which are brought into contact with each other in regions 13 and 14 of mutually adjoining metal particles 3 or mutually adjoining metal particles 3 and metallic short fibers 4 serve as a weld 5 to obtain a sintered friction material with a shear strength improved than before.