A bladeless optical fiber cleaver includes a first clamp and a second clamp coupled to each other via a generally support tray, where the second clamp is movable with respect to the first clamp along an axis of the optical fiber. The first and second clamps each receive a portion of the optical fiber. The fiber cleaver includes a mechanism to create a tension force in a stripped portion of the optical fiber, where the stripped portion of the fiber under tension is exposed to receive contact from a flexible abrasive material, the flexible abrasive material introducing a flaw in the optical fiber where the cleave takes place.