Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2014	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets, current		$ 1,100,000	$ 1,300,000
Deferred tax assets, non-current		5,200,000	2,900,000
Deferred tax liability, non-current		1,000,000	1,200,000
Change in valuation allowance		$ (7,800,000)	(8,000,000)
Stockholder owning ownership on corporation's securities percentage		5.00%
Stockholder owning ownership on corporation's securities rolling period		3 years
Net operating loss carryforwards for federal tax		$ 2,000,000,000
Net operating loss carryforwards for state tax		427,700,000
Foreign net operating loss carryforward		68,700,000
Undistributed earnings from foreign subsidiaries		47,200,000
Amount of taxes attributable to the permanently undistributed earnings		3,400,000
Deferred tax liability		$ 21,908,000	$ 27,223,000
U.S. federal income tax rate		35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Unrecognized tax benefits, including interest, related to federal, state and foreign taxes		$ 3,900,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 1,000,000
Interest expense related to uncertain tax positions			0
Liabilities for interest expense related to uncertain tax positions		48,000	$ 48,000	$ 10,000
Expected any unrecognized tax benefits to reverse in the next twelve months		$ 0
Tax Benefit Preservation Plan
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, adoption date		Oct. 17, 2011
Tax Benefit Preservation Plan | Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership require to obtain approval from board of directors to acquiring shares of the company's securities		4.99%
Indefinite Carryforward
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Foreign net operating loss carryforward		$ 50,800,000
Handy & Harman | Protective Amendment | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Percentage of common shares outstanding permitted for acquired by HNH and its affiliates	45.00%
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Capital loss carryforwards		$ 600,000
Capital losses expiration year		2016
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date		Jul. 31, 2021
Tax examinations tax period		2011
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date		Jul. 31, 2033
Tax examinations tax period		2015
State
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Capital loss carryforwards		$ 600,000
Capital losses expiration year		2016
State | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date		Jul. 31, 2016
Tax examinations tax period		2011
State | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date		Jul. 31, 2033
Tax examinations tax period		2015
Foreign | Europe Income Tax Authority | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2007
Foreign | Europe Income Tax Authority | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2014
Foreign | Asia Income Tax Authority | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2003
Foreign | Asia Income Tax Authority | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2014
Foreign Subsidiaries
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Undistributed earnings reinvested		$ 9,800,000
Deferred tax liability		13,400,000
Undistributed earnings that are not considered to be permanently reinvested		$ 37,400,000