The reliability of machine tools is highly influenced by the cutting-state. The traditional recognition method of cutting-state is emphasis on a single classifier, which has the weakness of low identification accuracy and strong randomness. This paper proposes a cutting-state identification method based on improved Dempster-Shafer (DS) evidence theory. This method is divided into multi-classifier preliminary-diagnosis layer and improved DS information-fusion layer. The wavelet packet analysis method is extracted as the input of multi-classifier (Back Propagation (BP) neural network, genetic algorithm Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimized BP neural network and thinking evolution (Mind Evolutionary Algorithms) MEA optimized BP neural network). After the preliminary judgment, the improved DS information-fusion method is integrated as the final judgment, and finally the effectiveness and feasibility of the method are verified.