Question Armored fiber cable termination

[sidtupper]

I want to terminate a single fiber cable that's armored with a tiny (~1mm) steel spiral around the cover of the fiber. How can I take the armor off without damaging the fiber?

 

[bill001g]

Not sure which fiber you have. They make special tools, most people that terminate fiber have a bunch of specialized tools already. I assume you know that you can't just cut the fiber with a wire cutter?

Now people that do this all the time I have seen use scissors or utility knives to strip them but it takes a lot of skill I suspect.

If you have what looks like a small almost spring that many times you can deform by pull on it to stretch it out and then carefully cut it with a normal wire cutter. There is also a tool that looks like a tiny pipe cutter that will score it. I have never done this, the fiber guys won't let me play with their tools and I just buy preterminated fiber for my own use.

 

[ventanni]

I want to terminate a single fiber cable that's armored with a tiny (~1mm) steel spiral around the cover of the fiber. How can I take the armor off without damaging the fiber?

I can't say for certain without seeing exactly what you have, but I highly doubt you'll damage it. Underneath that "armor", which I think is probably a grounding jacket, is multiple layers of kevlar to support the fiber. It's not until you strip ALL of that off that you get to the extremely brittle fiber part. I've been pretty rough with the kevlar coating and never experienced any issues.