Can I use steel wool to buff out water based finishes?

Never use steel wool with water based finishes because the particles can become embedded into your project and rust. Klingspor Synthetic Wool and Mera MIrlon 1500 synthetic wool are great alternatives.

Steel Wool is still an acceptable option for oil based finishes. Liberon 0000 Steel Wool is a good choice, as it does not shred as easily as the hardware store brands.