A handheld tool for removing a distribution tie from a cable includes a body and a plurality of effector portions. The body includes a handle portion and a head portion. The plurality of effector portions are arranged on the head portion, each effector portion having a bight and a tooth.

A method and a device untwists and smooths a cable end of a cable formed from single lines twisted in a twisting direction, using the device. The device includes an untwisting gripper having first and second untwisting jaws; a clamping gripper upwards of the untwisting gripper in the cable run having first and second clamping plates; and a cable gripper upwards of the clamping gripper. The method includes gripping the cable using the cable gripper; introducing the cable end between the open clamping gripper plates and the open untwisting gripper jaws; closing the plates and jaws; rotating the untwisting gripper counter to the twisting direction for untwisting the cable end; opening the jaws, reducing the jaws-plates distance and closing the plates; and smoothing the cable end by enlarging the distance between cable gripper and clamping gripper when the cable is clamped and simultaneously performing oscillating rotational untwisting gripper movements.