Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Note 2: Acquisitions Snap-on acquired a 60% interest in Snap-on Asia Manufacturing (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd. ("Xiaoshan") (formerly known as Wanda Snap-on (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd.), the company's tool manufacturing operation in Xiaoshan, China, in March 2008. Snap-on acquired the remaining 40% redeemable noncontrolling interest in Xiaoshan in April 2010 for a purchase price of $7.7 million and $0.1 million of transaction costs. The acquisition of Xiaoshan is part of the company's ongoing strategic initiatives to further expand its manufacturing presence in emerging growth markets and lower-cost regions. Snap-on terminated its SOC financial services joint venture agreement with CIT on July 16, 2009, and subsequently acquired, pursuant to the terms of the joint venture agreement, CIT's 50%-ownership interest in SOC for a cash purchase price of $8.1 million. The $8.1 million purchase price represented the book value, and approximated the fair value, of CIT's ownership interest in SOC as of the acquisition date; no goodwill or intangible assets were recorded as a result of this acquisition. Snap-on has included the accounts of SOC in its consolidated financial statements since 2004, as Snap-on concluded that it was the primary beneficiary of the joint venture arrangement. From 2004 until the July 2009 termination date, CIT's ownership interest in SOC was reported in the company's Consolidated Financial Statements as a noncontrolling interest. For segment reporting purposes, the results of operations and assets of SOC are included in Financial Services.

Acquisitions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Note 2: Acquisitions

Snap-on acquired a 60% interest in Snap-on Asia Manufacturing (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd. ("Xiaoshan") (formerly known as Wanda Snap-on (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd.), the company's tool manufacturing operation in Xiaoshan, China, in March 2008. Snap-on acquired the remaining 40% redeemable noncontrolling interest in Xiaoshan in April 2010 for a purchase price of $7.7 million and $0.1 million of transaction costs. The acquisition of Xiaoshan is part of the company's ongoing strategic initiatives to further expand its manufacturing presence in emerging growth markets and lower-cost regions.

Snap-on terminated its SOC financial services joint venture agreement with CIT on July 16, 2009, and subsequently acquired, pursuant to the terms of the joint venture agreement, CIT's 50%-ownership interest in SOC for a cash purchase price of $8.1 million. The $8.1 million purchase price represented the book value, and approximated the fair value, of CIT's ownership interest in SOC as of the acquisition date; no goodwill or intangible assets were recorded as a result of this acquisition.

Snap-on has included the accounts of SOC in its consolidated financial statements since 2004, as Snap-on concluded that it was the primary beneficiary of the joint venture arrangement. From 2004 until the July 2009 termination date, CIT's ownership interest in SOC was reported in the company's Consolidated Financial Statements as a noncontrolling interest. For segment reporting purposes, the results of operations and assets of SOC are included in Financial Services.