To round up the various ice axes thread from the good students of Haytloft Comp or wherever, here is all you ever wanted to know about ice axes but were unable to beat out of Jamie B.
Ice axes manufacturers include:
Grivel
DMM
Camp
Petzl Charlet
Most are manufacured using alloy, though carbon has been used. The exception is Only a Hill's bamboo "Kletterstickumpthingy" supplied by messrs Wolfblatter and Gripeson, purveyors of fine gentlemen's perambulation equipment.
Whilst an axe can be fettled in a school metal work class, the concept of stress and metal fatigue will be a short, interesting and most likely terminal lesson
Here is a useful link for all things ice axe related.
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ice-axe.html
Assuming you're around 14, you're gonna hit paydirt when you get to the bit about handling a stiff shaft.
I hope that helps
innit