A commutator utilizing a carbon composite base material, the carbon composite base material including a carbon base material; and an iron layer. The iron layer, to which a metal material can be joined, is formed on a surface of the carbon base material, iron powders, which are used to form the iron layer, are subjected to a treatment so as to increase surface-adsorbed oxygen before placing the iron powders to the surface of the carbon base material that is formed in advance by sintering, and sintering is applied to the iron powders placed on the surface of the carbon base material at a temperature not less than a diffusion temperature of carbon and not more than a melting point of iron in order to form the iron layer on the surface of the carbon base material.