The Bormann fuze itself was invented by Belgian artillery officer Captain Charles G. Bormann and adopted by the U.S. military around 1852. The purpose of the fuse cutter was to pierce or cut the thin metal covering on the fuze at a marked time setting. This allowed artillery crews to determine how long the fuze would burn before igniting the shell’s bursting charge. By selecting different time marks, gunners could make the shell explode in the air above enemy troops or at a chosen distance. In use, the artillerist set the fuse by punching the desired timing mark on the circular Bormann fuze disc before loading the shell into the cannon. When fired, the cannon’s ignition flame lit the internal powder train, which burned for the selected time and then detonated the shell. This system improved the speed and consistency of artillery fire compared with earlier hand-cut wooden fuses.

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