If your needles are grabby, run them through your hair (along the scalp) once or twice. The "preening oil" naturally on your scalp helps needles slide smoothly through yarn. 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