Summary of Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Accounting Policies	Note 1: Summary of Accounting Policies Principles of consolidation and presentation The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Snap-on Incorporated and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Snap-on” or “the company”). These financial statements should be read in conjunction with, and have been prepared in conformity with, the accounting principles reflected in the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Snap-on’s 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (“2012 year end”). The company’s 2013 fiscal third quarter ended on September 28, 2013; the 2012 fiscal third quarter ended on September 29, 2012. Snap-on accounts for investments in unconsolidated affiliates where Snap-on has a greater than 20% but less than 50% ownership interest under the equity method of accounting. Investments in unconsolidated affiliates of $14.0 million as of September 28, 2013, and $13.5 million as of December 29, 2012, are included in “Other assets” on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. No equity investment dividends were received in the first nine months of 2013 or 2012. In the normal course of business, the company may purchase products or services from unconsolidated affiliates; purchases from unconsolidated affiliates were $3.5 million and $2.7 million in the third quarters of 2013 and 2012, respectively, and were $11.2 million and $10.8 million in the first nine months of 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not include the accounts of the company’s independent franchisees. Snap-on’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the three and nine month periods ended September 28, 2013, and September 29, 2012, have been made. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Financial Instruments The fair value of the company’s derivative financial instruments is generally determined using quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities. The carrying value of the company’s non-derivative financial instruments either approximates fair value, due to their short-term nature, or fair value is based upon a discounted cash flow analysis or quoted market values. See Note 9 for further information on financial instruments. New Accounting Standards Disclosures Relating to Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance in February 2013 that amends the presentation of accumulated other comprehensive income and clarifies how to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The guidance, which became effective for Snap-on on a prospective basis at the beginning of its 2013 fiscal year, requires footnote disclosures regarding the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income by component and the line items affected in the statements of earnings. The adoption of this updated authoritative guidance did not have a significant impact on the company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 16 for additional information. Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets The FASB issued updated authoritative guidance in July 2012 to amend its previous guidance on the annual and interim testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment; the guidance became effective for Snap-on at the beginning of its 2013 fiscal year. The guidance provides entities with the option of first assessing qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount. If it is determined, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset is more-likely-than-not less than the carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test would still be required. The company did not elect to perform a qualitative assessment in 2013. Annual impairment tests are performed by the company in the second quarter of each fiscal year. The adoption of this updated authoritative guidance had no impact on the company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Note 1: Summary of Accounting Policies

Principles of consolidation and presentation

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Snap-on Incorporated and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Snap-on” or “the company”). These financial statements should be read in conjunction with, and have been prepared in conformity with, the accounting principles reflected in the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Snap-on’s 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (“2012 year end”). The company’s 2013 fiscal third quarter ended on September 28, 2013; the 2012 fiscal third quarter ended on September 29, 2012.

Snap-on accounts for investments in unconsolidated affiliates where Snap-on has a greater than 20% but less than 50% ownership interest under the equity method of accounting. Investments in unconsolidated affiliates of $14.0 million as of September 28, 2013, and $13.5 million as of December 29, 2012, are included in “Other assets” on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. No equity investment dividends were received in the first nine months of 2013 or 2012. In the normal course of business, the company may purchase products or services from unconsolidated affiliates; purchases from unconsolidated affiliates were $3.5 million and $2.7 million in the third quarters of 2013 and 2012, respectively, and were $11.2 million and $10.8 million in the first nine months of 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not include the accounts of the company’s independent franchisees. Snap-on’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the three and nine month periods ended September 28, 2013, and September 29, 2012, have been made. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Financial Instruments

The fair value of the company’s derivative financial instruments is generally determined using quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities. The carrying value of the company’s non-derivative financial instruments either approximates fair value, due to their short-term nature, or fair value is based upon a discounted cash flow analysis or quoted market values. See Note 9 for further information on financial instruments.

New Accounting Standards

Disclosures Relating to Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance in February 2013 that amends the presentation of accumulated other comprehensive income and clarifies how to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The guidance, which became effective for Snap-on on a prospective basis at the beginning of its 2013 fiscal year, requires footnote disclosures regarding the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income by component and the line items affected in the statements of earnings. The adoption of this updated authoritative guidance did not have a significant impact on the company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 16 for additional information.

Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets

The FASB issued updated authoritative guidance in July 2012 to amend its previous guidance on the annual and interim testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment; the guidance became effective for Snap-on at the beginning of its 2013 fiscal year. The guidance provides entities with the option of first assessing qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount. If it is determined, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset is more-likely-than-not less than the carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test would still be required. The company did not elect to perform a qualitative assessment in 2013. Annual impairment tests are performed by the company in the second quarter of each fiscal year. The adoption of this updated authoritative guidance had no impact on the company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.