Pension and Profit Sharing - Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value Hiearchy (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Pension plan assets	$ 1,294,727	$ 1,417,572	$ 1,684,535
Money Market Fund
Pension plan assets	39,224	66,914
Acme United Common Stock
Pension plan assets	0	174,000
Equity Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	837,260	652,135
Fixed Income Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	418,243	524,523
Level 1
Pension plan assets	255,555	240,914
Level 1 | Money Market Fund
Pension plan assets	19,327	66,914
Level 1 | Acme United Common Stock
Pension plan assets	0	174,000
Level 1 | Equity Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	131,737
Level 1 | Fixed Income Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	104,491
Level 2
Pension plan assets	1,039,172	1,176,658
Level 2 | Money Market Fund
Pension plan assets	19,897
Level 2 | Equity Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	705,523	652,135
Level 2 | Fixed Income Common and Collected Funds
Pension plan assets	313,752	524,523
Level 3
Pension plan assets	$ 0	$ 0