How to Tell When Your Fiber Cleaver Blade Needs Replacing

Avoid poor cleaves and expensive downtime by knowing these key signs your blade is done.

When your cleaver blade starts to dull, your fiber terminations suffer — and so does your efficiency. Whether you’re using a Fujikura CT-30, Sumitomo FC-6S, or any other model, replacing or rotating the blade at the right time can save you time, frustration, and money.

In this article, we’ll break down how to tell when your fiber cleaver blade needs to be replaced — and what to do about it.

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🔍 5 Signs Your Fiber Cleaver Blade Is Worn Out

1. Jagged or Angled Cleaves

If your fiber ends are chipped, angled, or uneven, it’s a major red flag. Clean cleaves should be perfectly flat with minimal scarring.

Tip: Use a fiber scope or inspect under a microscope to check the cleave quality.

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2. Increased Splice Loss

A dull blade often leads to higher splice loss during fusion splicing. If you’re noticing rising dB levels, the cleaver might be the culprit — not the splicer.

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3. Cracked or Broken Fibers

Fibers that snap when you score and pull them indicate the blade isn’t cleanly scoring the glass.

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4. Cleaver Requires More Force

If you’re needing more pressure or multiple attempts to cleave, the blade may be dull or misaligned. You shouldn’t be forcing anything.

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5. You’ve Already Rotated the Blade Several Times

Most blades have 12–16 positions. If you’ve rotated through most of them, it’s likely time for a new blade. Don’t wait until every position is shot — plan ahead.

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🛠️ What to Do Next: Replace or Repair

Depending on your cleaver model, you may be able to:

    •    Send the cleaver in for full professional servicing

    •    Rotate the blade (if it still has good edges left)

If you’re unsure, we can help diagnose it for free.

💡 Pro Tip:

Keep track of how many cleaves you perform and rotate blades on a schedule — not just when performance drops.

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📩 Need Help?

We offer fast fiber cleaver blade replacements, full diagnostics, and repairs — typically with 24–48 hour turnaround.

👉 Request a Cleaver Repair or Blade Replacement Now

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