A double-apertured L-shaped crimp is crimped to one end of a cable. The other end of the cable is passed around the bone and an orthopedic device to be attached to the bone, and it is then passed through the other aperture in the crimp. A releasable, lever-operated cable clamp is installed on the cable, followed by a tensioning tool. The tensioning tool applies a pre-positioning tension on the cable. The cable clamp is clamped to the cable to hold the tension. The tool is removed for use on another cable. When ready for final tensioning, the tensioning tool is re-installed, adjusted to the desired final tension, the crimp swaged onto the cable to hold the final tension, the cable clamp unclamped, the tensioning tool released and removed with the cable clamp, and the cable is cut off at the crimp.