Working with Census data and other 19th century sources, I occasionally come across the occupation of "boat crimper." I can't figure out what these boat crimpers do.
Based on the definition of "crimp," it could be a fairly innocuous term for someone who works with wires and cables on a boat. But the Wikipedia article for "crimper" takes you to the article on Shanghaiing:
Shanghaiing refers to the practice of kidnapping people to serve as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery, intimidation, or violence. Those engaged in this form of kidnapping were known as crimps.
But I'm skeptical that the "boat crimpers" I find in public records are "crimps" as in this definition. Here's a Joseph Magee who lists himself as a "boat crimper" in the Rochester City Directory. Who would list themselves as a kidnapper?
So, do any of you naval historians out there know what kind of occupation "boat crimper" was? Assuming crimpers are not crimps, were crimpers skilled, semi-skilled, or unskilled labor?