SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureLineItems
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Balance, Beginning Balance	$ 3,386	$ 11,646	$ 12,322
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense	3,439	1,305	108
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToOtherAccounts	50	(22)	17
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions	5,635	9,543	801
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Balance, Ending Balance	1,240	3,386	11,646
Net operating loss	5,518	8,328
Capital Loss Carryforward, Expired		5,700
Industrial Valve Business
ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureLineItems
Net operating loss	3,800
ValuationAllowanceOfDeferredTaxAssetsMember
ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureLineItems
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Balance, Beginning Balance	3,386	11,646	12,322
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense	3,439	1,305	108
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToOtherAccounts	50	(22)	17
ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions	5,635	9,543	801
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Balance, Ending Balance	$ 1,240	$ 3,386	$ 11,646

Amount capital loss carryforwards that expired.

No definition available.

Name:	cw_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpired
Namespace Prefix:	cw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	srt_ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	srt_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32621-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09(Column B))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e24092-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09(Column E))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e24092-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesBalance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves from charge to cost and expense.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves from charge to accounts other than cost and expense.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToOtherAccounts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=cw_IndustrialValveBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceOfDeferredTaxAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: