Abstract: A tool has outer gripping jaws 12, 19 to grip a cable 20, and inner jaws with cutting edges 30 which penetrate the cable.The inner jaws are initially located for sheath penetration and are then displaced axially to strip the cut portion of the sheath of the core of the cable. In the axial movement the inner jaws are guided along tracks on the adjacent faces of the outer jaws and at least one of these tracks 100 is relieved at 102 so that during the axial movement the cutting jaws separate. This enables the tool to operate satisfactory even when the jaws converge towards the axis on which they are pivoted.