This sounds like a good suggestion, much safer than what I used.
I've made barbed wire in the past out of chicken wire. I just cross cut the wire so that the cuts form the barbs, and then I wrapped it around a thick wooden pencil. It worked for me but, my barbed wire actually has barbs on it. So, not only do I occaisionally get cut while setting up or taking down a battlefield but, my hands were bleeding by the time I finished making a batch! I guess you go with what you got. I had it on hand and so that is what I used.