As far as not keeping your axe stored in the "ice axe attachments" and instead stuffing it into the compression straps or between the back and pack goes, this doesn't make any sense to me. If you are worried about taking someone's eye out then it sounds like you aren't in a situation where you will immediately need access to your axe. The axe comes out and is used way way way before anything that is technical has been put underfoot. Putting the axe between the pack and your back is effective, however extremely uncomfortable if you have a solid frame pack. This method, at least as I have employed it, is for short sections where you are transferring from snow to rock and soon will be on snow again. Furthermore, I have seen people lose their axes by stuffing it into their compressional straps because they assumed it would stay in place. However, when you are tired and slogging along with your axe on your pack the last thing you want to think about is losing it and therefore you should store it in the "ice axe attachment" loops on your pack to secure it down.