It's very normal in cold climates to have further die back in the spring after the first pruning. Sometimes the cane may look green and healthy so we leave it thinking it's OK. But there has already been some freeze damage to the cells and so it slowly turns dark and dies off and needs to be pruned off. You have lots of healthy looking new growth there so there's no cause for alarm. Your roses will be fine. As for the black spot. Your pruners have nothing to do with it. It's out there, everywhere! In the soil, in the air on the plants, it's there. Whether you clean your pruners between cuts or not if you're in a black spot area you'll have it. Unless you spray religiously. Cleaning the pruners is more for reducing the spread of other transmittable diseases such as gall, canker and rose rosette disease. I used to do it faithfully but it's a total pain in the butt so I don't do it at all now unless I'm cutting something out because it's diseased and I can see it. I haven't noticed any big difference in the occurrence of any problems as a result.

lolauren, it's difficult to determine anything from your photos, yet, but your statement that it is strongly fragrant and totally thornless leads me to believe it might be Zephirine Drouhin. Though the photos of the blooms look more modern, because it was sold to you as a climber (and Zephirine is grown as a climber), the color is in the appropriate range, the fragrance is strong and it's totally thornless, these clues point to this rose. Please take a look and see if the photos (you'll have to look at all of them because they look different from location to location) remind you of what you have. Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Zephirine Drouhin

I agree with Carla, post it on the rose forum instead of gallery with your picture attached, as you have done. I see dead wood but I do believe (and it is hard to tell for me when I am not sitting right there to look as I have poor eyesight)on the cane to my far left is a cane with canker. Do you spray or have you sprayed for fungi? I think that it is important to do so but sometimes I think there is no way to avoid some canker. Yes, please do post on the rose forum. I hope Mike Rivers will see this and respond.

hi Brian do you have any possums around?I have had similar damage from possums-they love the young buds.the 46 degres we had has killed some off-but they will be back good luck chas