United States Statement, Business Segments [Axis] Canada Europe Pac-Kit Business Acquisition [Axis] The C-Thru Ruler Company $1.70-$5.11 Exercise Price Range [Axis] $5.12-$8.51 $8.52-$10.21 $10.22-$13.62 $13.63-$17.02 Employee Plan Plan Name [Axis] Director Plan Equity Securities Defined Benefit Plan, Asset Categories [Axis] Fixed Income Securities Other Securities/Investments Level 1 Fair Value, Hierarchy [Axis] Level 2 Level 3 Cash Investments Money Market Fund Acme United Common Stock Equity Common and Collected Funds Fixed Income Common and Collected Funds Other International Business Segments [Axis] Common Stock Equity Components [Axis] Treasury Stock Additional Paid-In Capital Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Retained Earnings Minimum Range Range [Axis] Maximum Range Greater Than 10% of Total Net Receivables Major Customers [Axis] Exceeded 10% of Consolidated Net Sales Major Customer No. 1 Concentration Risk Type [Axis] Major Customer No. 2 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Prior Service Credit and Actuarial Losses Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Current Fiscal Year End Date Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? Entity Filer Category Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Entity Public Float Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable, less allowance Inventories: Finished goods Work in process Raw materials and supplies Total inventory Prepaid expenses and other current assets Total current assets Property, plant and equipment: Land Buildings Machinery and equipment Total property, plant and equipment Less accumulated depreciation Net plant, property and equipment Note receivable Intangible assets, less amortization Other assets Total assets LIABILITIES Current liabilities: Accounts payable Other accrued liabilities Total current liabilities Long-term debt Other Total liabilities STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Common stock, par value $2.50: authorized 8,000,000 shares; issued - 4,507,274 shares in 2013 and 4,487,524 shares in 2012, including treasury stock Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Treasury stock, at cost - 1,362,072 shares in 2013 and 1,362,072 shares in 2012 Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income: Minimum pension liability Translation adjustment Total accumulated other comprehensive income Total stockholders' equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Common stock, par value Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Treasury stock, shares Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations Net sales Cost of goods sold Gross profit Selling, general and administrative expenses Operating income Non-operating items: Interest: Interest expense Interest income Interest expense, net Other expense, net Total other expense, net Income before income taxes Income tax expense Net income Basic earnings per share Diluted earnings per share Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - denominator used for basic per share computations Weighted average number of dilutive stock options outstanding Denominator used for diluted per share computations Dividends declared per share Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income Net income Other comprehensive income - Foreign currency translation adjustment Change in net prior service credit and actuarial losses, net of income tax expense Total other comprehensive income (loss) Comprehensive income Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Operating Activities: Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used by operating activities Depreciation Amortization Stock compensation expense Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable Inventories Prepaid expenses and other assets Accounts payable Other accrued liabilities Total adjustments Net cash used by operating activities Investing Activities: Purchase of property, plant, and equipment Purchase of patents and trademarks Net cash used by investing activities Financing Activities: Borrowing (repayments) of long-term debt Proceeds from issuance of common stock Distributions to stockholders Purchase of treasury stock Net cash provided (used) by financing activities Effect of exchange rate changes Net change in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Basis of Presentation Contingencies Contingencies Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] Pension Long Term Debt And Stockholders Equity Long Term Debt and Stockholders Equity Segment Information Segment Information Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract] Stock Based Compensation Fair Value Measurements Fair Value Measurements Business Combinations [Abstract] Business Combinations Basis Of Presentation Policies Recent accounting pronouncements Contingencies Tables Accrual for Environmental Remediation Table Pension Tables Components of Net Benefit Expense Segment Information Tables Financial Data By Segment Table Assets By Segment Contingencies Details Narrative Description of property sale Proceeds from sale of property Mortgage receivable from sale of property Interest rate on mortgage receivable Undiscounted environmental remediation liability Accrual for environmental remediation and monitoring Accrual for environmental remediation and monitoring, current Minimum environmental remediation monitoring period (in years) Contingencies - Accrual For Environmental Remediation Details Environmental remediation accrual at December 31, 2012 Payments Environmental remediation accrual at March 31, 2013 Expected plan contributions during 2013 Components of net periodic benefit cost: Interest cost Service cost Expected return on plan assets Amortization of prior service costs Amortization of actuarial loss Net periodic benefit cost Long Term Debt And Stockholders Equity Details Narrative Outstanding borrowings under revolving loan agreement Amount available for borrowing under revolving loan agreement Credit facility borrowing capacity Interest rate of LIBOR plus percentage Credit facility interest rate Credit facility expiration date Covenant terms and compliance Common stock issued upon exercise of employee stock options (in shares) Cash received upon exercise of employee stock options Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Sales to external customers Operating income Interest expense, net Other expense (income), net Consolidated income before income taxes Assets Segment Information Details Narrative Direct import sales to total net sales ratio Stock Based Compensation Details Narrative Share-based compensation expense Stock options granted during period (in shares) Weighted average fair value of stock options granted during period Unrecognized compensation cost Unrecognized compensation cost recognition period Total purchase price of assets Purchase price allocated to inventory Purchase price allocated to intangible assets Unaudited proforma net sales during period Unaudited proforma net income during period Estimated monitoring period after remediation is completed in years. Interest rate on mortgage loan receivable. Entire disclosure for debt and shareholders equity. Schedule of assets by segment. Percentage of direct import sales to total net sales. Inventory, Net Assets, Current Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross Property, Plant and Equipment, Net Liabilities, Current Liabilities Treasury Stock, Value Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net of Tax Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity Gross Profit Investment Income, Interest Interest Income (Expense), Net Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) Nonoperating Income (Expense) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent Increase (Decrease) in Receivables Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense and Other Assets Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Increase (Decrease) in Other Accrued Liabilities Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Payments to Acquire Intangible Assets Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Payments of Dividends Payments for Repurchase of Equity Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Payments Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Return on Plan Assets Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Gains (Losses) Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost