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If your needles are too slippery, put on clean rubber dishwashing gloves and massage the needles a little. Then drag each needle between your pinched thumb and forefinger--no water, just drag the needles between the pinched, dry glove. This clears oils to restore a better "tooth."
For a very slippery needle not responding to this treatment, drag the needle through a barely dampened, doubled over "Mr. Clean Eraser." The "eraser" is actually just micro-scale sandpaper.
One caution. Although some needles (especially bamboo and wood) respond splendidly, other needles (like Addi lace needles) have a coating which the "eraser" could ruin.
--TK