A practical guide to fiber optic splicing techniques, tools, and best practices from Richesin Engineering's field crew. 1dB loss that will last the life of the cable plant. Fiber optic strands are ultra-lightweight and about as thin as human hair, and yet, they have more than eight times the pulling tension of a copper wire. They are essential in establishing temporary or semi-permanent links in fiber optic networks. On the other hand, fiber optic splicing is the process of permanently joining. A fiber optic cable splice is the process of permanently joining two fiber optic cables to create a continuous light path—vital when cables are cut, damaged, or need extending. Done right, it produces connections with less than 0.