after the tail has been first wrapped around a bundle of wires 13 and threaded through a passage in the cable tie head 11 the gripper assembly 132 is preferably identical or nearly identical in structure and function to the gripper assembly described in the 39 053 patent greater detail of a preferred embodiment being shown therein the gripper housing 134 is secured to the distal end of the tension rod 122 by a nut which engages a set of threads disposed at the distal end of the tension rod 122 after the tension rod has been inserted through an aperture in the end plate thereof prior to the nut being secured to the distal end of the tension rod 122 a cover having an aperture disposed on the end panel thereof is mounted over the distal end of the tension rod 122 the tie tail 12 is engaged by the pawl 150 which has a plurality of tie tail gripping teeth the pawl extends out of the gripper housing 134 through a generally rectangular aperture disposed below a cable tie pressure plate the aperture extends between the distal end of the cover and the distal end of the gripper housing the gripping teeth are spaced apart and angled.