In the meso-scale machining, feed rate, grain size and tool edge radius are in the same order of magnitude, and cutting process is often carried out in the grain interior and grain boundary. In this paper the meso-cutting process of hot-rolled AISI1045 steel is studied and its metallographic microstructure is analyzed for the establishment of multiphase models which incorporate the effect of ferrite and pearlite grains. In order to discover the applicability of multiphase models to the simulation of meso-cutting, three contrast simulation models including multiphase model with rounded-edge cutting insert (model I), multiphase model with sharp edge cutting insert (model II) and equivalent homogeneous material model with rounded-edge cutting insert (model III) are built up for the meso-orthogonal cutting processes of hot-rolled AISI1045. By comparison with the experiments in terms of chip morphology, cutting force and specific cutting force, the most suitable model is identified. Then the stress distiribution is analyzed. And it is found that multiphase model with tool edge radius can give a more accurate prediction of the global variables and reveal more about these important local variables distribution.