Abstract: Two fiber optic cables are spliced together so as to provide a relatively high strength splice without increasing the diameter of the cable and without degrading cable flexibility at the splice. The strength elements from one cable are used to replace the strength elements at the end of the other cable, after the fiber optic cores of the cables have been fused together. The splicing equipment advantageously uses elongated conduits to hold unwound strength elements out of the way to allow the cores to be fused and to prevent unwanted distortion of the cable during rewinding.