Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	1. Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Acme United Corporation (the “Company”). These adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. However, the financial statements do not include all of the disclosures normally required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America or those normally made in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. Please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 for such disclosures. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 was derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet as of that date. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to June 30, 2018 and through the date these condensed consolidated financial statements were included in this Form 10-Q and filed with the SEC. Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Standards In August 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-14, which defers the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), by one year. ASU 2015-14 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The Company has adopted the new guidance as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of the new guidance did not have a material effect on the condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company beyond the increase in the level of disclosures. Refer to Note 4 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that will change the requirements for accounting for leases. The principal change under the new accounting guidance is that lessees under leases classified as operating leases will recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. Current lease accounting does not require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising under operating leases on the balance sheet. Under the new guidance, lessees (including lessees under leases classified as finance leases and operating leases) will recognize a right-to-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet, initially measured as the present value of lease payments under the lease. Expense recognition and cash flow presentation guidance will be based upon whether the lease is classified as an operating lease or a finance lease (the classification criteria for distinguishing between finance leases and operating leases is substantially similar to the classification criteria for distinguishing between capital leases and operating leases under current guidance). The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The new guidance clarifies the definition of a business in order to allow for the evaluation of whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2017-01 effective January 1, 2018. The adoption of the new accounting standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02 Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. ASU No. 2018-02 provides companies with an option to reclassify stranded tax effects within accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) to retained earnings in each period in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (or portion thereof) is recorded. ASU No. 2018-02 also requires disclosure of a description of the accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI and whether an election was made to reclassify the stranded income tax effects from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Companies can adopt the provisions of ASU No. 2018-02 in either the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The Company is beginning to evaluate the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2018-02 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Basis of Presentation

In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Acme United Corporation (the “Company”). These adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. However, the financial statements do not include all of the disclosures normally required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America or those normally made in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. Please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 for such disclosures. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 was derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet as of that date. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to June 30, 2018 and through the date these condensed consolidated financial statements were included in this Form 10-Q and filed with the SEC.

Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Standards

In August 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-14, which defers the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), by one year. ASU 2015-14 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The Company has adopted the new guidance as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of the new guidance did not have a material effect on the condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company beyond the increase in the level of disclosures. Refer to Note 4 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that will change the requirements for accounting for leases. The principal change under the new accounting guidance is that lessees under leases classified as operating leases will recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. Current lease accounting does not require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising under operating leases on the balance sheet. Under the new guidance, lessees (including lessees under leases classified as finance leases and operating leases) will recognize a right-to-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet, initially measured as the present value of lease payments under the lease. Expense recognition and cash flow presentation guidance will be based upon whether the lease is classified as an operating lease or a finance lease (the classification criteria for distinguishing between finance leases and operating leases is substantially similar to the classification criteria for distinguishing between capital leases and operating leases under current guidance). The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The new guidance clarifies the definition of a business in order to allow for the evaluation of whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2017-01 effective January 1, 2018. The adoption of the new accounting standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02 Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. ASU No. 2018-02 provides companies with an option to reclassify stranded tax effects within accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) to retained earnings in each period in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (or portion thereof) is recorded. ASU No. 2018-02 also requires disclosure of a description of the accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI and whether an election was made to reclassify the stranded income tax effects from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Companies can adopt the provisions of ASU No. 2018-02 in either the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The Company is beginning to evaluate the impact the adoption of ASU No. 2018-02 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.