A method and apparatus is achieved for creating or restoring a high friction surface to a drive roller 52. Abrasive pads 12 define a scrubbing surface for acting upon a media roller's surface 54-58. As the roller's surface is scrubbed, creping occurs which increases the surface's coefficient of friction, and more particularly, the coefficient of friction between the roller and media sheet ("COF(rm)"). In one embodiment, the creping apparatus is formed by a pair of plates 16, 18 hinged along one edge 30 and open along an opposite edge 28. A spring 19 is positioned between the plates biasing the plates apart at the open end. One or more abrasive pads are attached to the outer surface of one plate 18. The spring is selected to provide a specific biasing force. To create or restore a high friction surface, the apparatus 10 is positioned adjacent to the roller 52. By approximately defining the force applied between the roller 52 and abrasive pads 12 and by using an abrasive pad of known grit, initially surface contaminants, if any, are scrubbed from the roller surface 54-58. As the scrubbing continues, the elastomer surface 54-58 begins to fatigue. Small pieces of rubber tear from the surface while scrubbing the fatigued surface. After several minutes of operation, the scrubbing action generates a creped surface having an increased coefficient of friction.