I now use orchid tubes for water and a trug for a carrier. When I get to work or wherever I m taking flowers, I remove the orchid tubes, recut the stem under water again, and put the flower in a vase or arrangement. For flowers in a vase, I remove the blooms once a day, discard the faded blooms, recut the remaining stems under water again and rearrange them in the vase. The exhibitor chooses to leave or remove thorns that will be within the vase based on how the rose will be displayed. In a display of several roses, the thorns will get in the way as you rearrange the stems, so remove the thorns that would be below the lip of the vase.
Florists use a thorn stripper.
I use fingers or pruners. Some thorns will come off easily with sideways pressure from a thumb. For the more stubborn thorns, I cut them off almost flush with the cane. I remove any foliage that would be inside the vase. If the foliage is unsightly or damaged, either trim off the damage or remove the leaf.