I have a chrome Imperial which is just an awesome little writer however it is so shiny and smooth that it just about jumps right out of my hand. Is there something I can do to make it a little "grippier"? Thanks!

The reason chrome is so very slippery is that it has a high surface hardness and very low coefficient of friction when compared with most other metals (or plastics, for that matter). "Hard chrome," for example, has a coefficient of friction of .20 or less (where lower is "slicker") compared with Nickel (another white metal) which is generally around .45. In short, it's just the nature of the material to be very hard and slick.

What to do to raise the coefficient? This may sound weird, but a coating of wax (carnauba wax such as is found in many auto parts stores) may actually help. The wax layer may warm up enough in your hand to increase the surface "tack" while not obliterating the shine. It's worth a try. The carnauba wax will not harm the metal and you may lose enough of the slickness to make writing more comfortable.

I knew someone would have a scientific explanation for me. Thanks a bushel! I'll give it a go.