What does a "boat crimper" do?
score:9
A "boat crimper" is synonymous with a "boot crimper" - a person who specializes in manufacturing and repairing boots. The process of crimping is used to make leather conform to shapes that can't be created with folding, and involves stretching wet leather over a form with clamps or pliers. You can get an idea of what is involved here.
A good example of the term being used in this context is in the following excerpt from the 12/25/1890 edition of the Daily Alta California (emphasis added):
Charles William Lemperle, a boat crimper living in the rear of 726 Washington street, fatally shot M. J. Mitchell, also a boat crimper, supposed to have lived at 1755 Howard street. Lemperle celebrated his sixtieth birthday yesterday by getting very drunk. He is a large man, and wears dark grey chin-whiskers and mustache. He is a German, and for years worked for Porter, Slessinger & Co. He has a wife and a son and daughter. Mitchell is a large Irishman, and wears brown chin-whiskers. He has a shoe shop somewhere on Twenty-second street. About a week ago he got some work from Lemperle, which he attended to at his shop and returned when finished. Lemperle told him that he had spoiled three pairs of boots, and refused to pay Mitchell for that work, but paid him for what was well done.
The etymology of the term is a little bit harder to track down, but it is referenced in Cassell's Dictionary of Slang as:
boat n1 ... 6. [1950s+] (US) a large shoe or boot.
Although it calls out a more modern usage, I'd guess that it may have had its origins in the earlier usage that you ran across. My personal suspicion (and speculation at best) is that is may have came from the similarity between the two words in German and English, particularly in the spelling and pronunciation. The German word "boot" translates to "boat" in English and is pronounced the same way. It's easy to imagine a German cobbler describing himself as a "boat crimper" and the term sticking and finding wider usage.
Upvote:-2
Charlotte street was the center of the small boat-building industry in Rochester at the time.
There is no standard term "boat crimper". It is possible he crimped eyes into the various cables and lines used on a boat.
Upvote:4
I think I may have found it.
According to this British Magazine Article from 1820, crimping appears to have been something one would do with a fish, after having caught it.
It doesn't go into detail, but I found another book that does: Hints for the Table, by John Timbs in 1859. It appears to be a method for preserving a fish by cutting it open and boiling it soon after being caught. I'm not sure if the exact method described therein is required, but it does make sense that there would be fish preservation methods that either went out of fashion, or became obsolete during the 20th century.
This appears to be something that is indeed done with cod (the mainstay of the North Atlantic Fishing fleet in the 19th Century), even today sometimes. However, even as far back as the 18th century, there are references for people thinking it a cruel practice, as it apparently relies on keeping the fish alive for a longer period of time.
Upvote:5
A boat crimper was a member of a group of sailors whose job was to forcibly impress men into the Navy. They were often referred to as the press gang. The use of such gangs to force Americans into the British Navy was one cause of the War of 1812. For reference, look up the entry for "James Kelly (crimper)" in Wikipedia.
Upvote:5
When in doubt - check the Oxford English Dictionary: (Compact Edition, Vol. I, p. 1174)
Crimp:
3 An agent or contractor for unloading coal ships: a contractor. Obs
1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Crimp: one that undertakes to unload a ship of coals
1754 STRYPE Stowe's Survey: II v 319's: Any Coal Owner may employ crimps or Factors, not being lightermen or buyers of Coals for sale.
1769 Defoe's Tour Gt. Brit. II 131 The Brokers of these Coals are called Crimps: the Vessels they load their Ships with at Newcastle, Keels.
Note these links are pay only after a couple of sample hits:
Coal Crimp OED online Link
Crimpage money OED online link
Note that this sense has a separate etymology from that associated with crimping wire
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