PURPOSE: To manufacture a vane for a rotary compressor with superior wear resistance and dimensional accuracy by forming a nitride film by ionic nitriding on the surface of a vane made of an iron-base material contg. Cr and Mo subjected to sintering the drawing or other working.

CONSTITUTION: A sliding vane for a rotary compressor is made of an iron-base material contg. Cr and Mo subjected to sintering the drawing or other working. The vane is refined by oil quenching and tempering to relieve the residual stress. Glow discharge is then caused in an atmosphere consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen at a high degree of vacuum to form a nitride film on the surface of the vane by ionic nitriding. The dimensional change of the vane and the deformation due to strain are reduced.