An apparatus includes: a cleaver configured to automatically cleave a bare fiber extending from an end face of a terminus or connector of a fiber optic cable, the cleaver including a bending element configured to bend the bare fiber and a defect-formation device configured to create a surface defect in surface of the bare fiber under tension when the bare fiber is bent by the bending element; and an abrader configured to automatically finish the end face of the terminus or connector after the bare fiber is cleaved.