Sometimes it's the simple things in life, like not having your partner's axe or ice tool gouge a hole in your new spectra climbing pack while driving up to the mountains. Since he's the only one dumb enough to get up at oh-god-thirty and accompany you on your latest hare-brained epic-to-be, you have to grow him as a human being instead of ripping him a new one to match the hole in your wallet.
Gently suggest an axe protector, e.g. Black Diamond's version, cleverly named… the Axe Protector. At only 1.4oz and under ten bucks, the BD AP is a sound investment to protect all things soft and expensive from the pick and adze on your ice dagger. A pleasant GearFlogger-orange polyurethane with an adjustable elastic shock cord keeper, both ends should fit nearly any axe or tool unless you've got some freaky Viking war hammer jobbie you built yourself with your dad's tools, in which case stay the hell away from me, protector or no.
Maybe you have a hammer instead of an adze, or maybe you're one of those leashless goons whose tool is totally naked . In that case lucky you, save the price of a cold one with the Black Diamond Pick Protector ($4.95 at Moosejaw). For the ultra paranoid, or the obsessive-compulsive climber who must color-coordinate all accessories, there's even a Black Diamond Spike Protector ($4.95 at REI). Unless you've got some scary spike action going on that last one is probably overkill, but if you've been leaving your tool unsheathed, definitely put a glove on that love at least on the pick end.