Most cactus varieties have spines that will cause some harm if you are not careful.
This video shows how to clean those type pads off with a knife.
I’ve been out in cactus fields and seen the ladies from Mexico, with a child strapped to their back in a shawl… with a huge butcher knife in hand, cutting and cleaning cactus leaves with a dexterity that is astounding.
Our most popular variety the Nopalea grande is nearly spineless…. one need not do all the work seen here.