I don't think it really matters which end you cut from, you will get a stiffer arrow. But what I have found that works best for me, and have seen it on some of the better made bamboo arrows, is to keep the nock diameter of the cane the same as close as possible to one another. I had some that I had to use small glue on nocks on (tonkin), then some that had a small self nock cut in, and some larger ones with self nocks. And you will not, I repeat you will not, get them all to fly and group the same, trust me on this one.....