Abstract: An apparatus for tensioning a cable tape comprises a housing, a drive assembly, a capstan, and an optional cutting device. The drive assembly includes a driving member and a driven member slidably coupled to the driving member. A biasing element is coupled between the driving and the driven member and in a first operating mode, the driving member causes movement of the driven member little or no relative movement between two members. The capstan is rotatably coupled to the housing, and includes a gripping device to grip a cable tape and wrap the cable tape around an outer surface of the capstan as the capstan rotates. In a second operating mode, a tension force applied on the capstan by the cable tape that is greater than the biasing force allows relative movement between the driving member and the driven member.