IDC cable -separating individual strands

[analogix]

Is there a smart way to separate the individual strands apart from an IDC flat ribbon cable?
I've tried using a sharp knife, fingernails etc. but no matter what I do I always end up with a few strands where the insulation has been torn past their sides. And every time this happens I have to cut off a whole section of the cable and start all over again 

I'm trying to fix a broken membrane connector by super-glueing a pre-stripped IDC cable on top, attaching the individual wire ends to the membrane tracks with electrically conductive glue (possibly pre-tinned first if that would provide a better connection) and finally soldering the other end (also separated, stripped and tinned individually) to the device's multi-pin connector which (in theory at least) should provide a new, fixed connection.

[mikeselectricstuff]

A good pair of long scissors. Hold the cable loosely so it self-guides the blade into the valley between the cores. Once you get the hang of it, you can do one core a second.