I've tried to make a thinner splice on a four-wire cable, by staggering the joints. But I found it was too difficult to cut, strip, pre-load heat shrink, twist

I've tried to make a thinner splice on a four-wire cable, by staggering the joints. But I found it was too difficult to cut, strip, pre-load heat shrink, twist wires, and solder without melting the adjacent heat shrink. I think it's doable if you really need it, but I was just experimenting, so I gave up on it.