Toe picks are only found in figure skates. The toe pick is at the very front of the ice skate and pointed slightly at a down angle. It lookes rather like an extruded saw blade.
Although, many novices use the toe pick to push with and thus propel them forward, that is not the correct use. Toe picks are for toe jumps, landing, and stopping while going backwards. Toe vaults are jumps where the skater jams their toe pick into the ice, and vaults off of it. Since ice skaters always land backwards, the toe pick keeps them from falling on their faces. When travelling backwards, the easiest way to stop is to lean forward, which will dig your toe picks into the ice.
Toe picks are very easy to trip over. If you runs over a small bump or ridge in the ice, your toe picks may catch and send you flying forward. You will either put out your arms, or end up with stitches in your chin. Either will do.