Originally Posted by
Pugilistic Animus
Well in the case of fuze vs fuse, a fuse is the part of the the primary ignition source and the first part of a powder train...like.... fuse... blasting cap or fuse.... bursting charge. A Fuze is the complete powder train leading to the detonation of HEXs...a Fuze is most commonly associated with ordnance.
In what context does that distinction apply? It is not made in normal English, either UK or US, in which "fuze" is a less frequent variant spelling of "fuse" in all senses (so it's not the -s- -z- variation, which is typically UK vs US usage, except for Oxford University Press house style, which mostly uses -z-). It might be that in the technical language of some particular part of the explosives community that distinction is made, but it would be nice to know what part. It's not a general distinction.