INCOME TAXES - Significant Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Valuation Allowance [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	$ (783.8)	$ (130.2)
Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Undistributed Earnings	49.7	19.5	17.3
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation	72.7	75.3
Amortization of intangibles	888.3	955.4
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	369.2	418.9
Discharge of indebtedness	12.4us-gaap_AggregateIndebtedness	15.5us-gaap_AggregateIndebtedness
Inventories	8.8swk_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInventory	2.3swk_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInventory
Deferred revenue	32.0	19.0
Other	59.4us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	50.6us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Total deferred tax liabilities	1,442.8swk_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGross	1,537.0swk_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGross
Deferred tax assets:
Employee benefit plans	308.3	317.0
Doubtful accounts and other customer allowances	15.0	14.6
Accruals	131.7	117.4
Restructuring charges	42.2	51.0
Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss And Capital Loss Carryforwards	594.6	759.7
Currency and derivatives	47.3	33.0
Other	97.1us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	114.7us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Total deferred tax assets	1,236.2us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	1,407.4us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Net Deferred Tax Liabilities before Valuation Allowance	206.6swk_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesGross	129.6swk_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesGross
Valuation allowance	551.9	549.7
Net Deferred Tax Liabilities after Valuation Allowance	758.5us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	679.3us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Accumulated Translation Adjustment [Member]
Valuation Allowance [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	(726.3)	(99.9)
Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Undistributed Earnings	43.7
income tax provision [Member]
Valuation Allowance [Line Items]
Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Undistributed Earnings	6.0
Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss And Capital Loss Carryforwards	$ 142.9

Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities), Gross

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Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss And Capital Loss Carryforwards

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Deferred Tax Assets, Unrealized Currency Losses and Derivative Instruments

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Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross

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Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Undistributed Earnings

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Total current liabilities of the broker-dealer, less certain exceptions as defined.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

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Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards, net of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from reserves and accruals.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from the allowance for doubtful accounts.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from restructuring reserve.

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Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from intangible assets other than goodwill.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences not separately disclosed.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from property, plant, and equipment.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from tax deferred revenue or other income not separately disclosed.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from undistributed earnings of subsidiaries and other recognized entities not within the country of domicile of the entity.

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Amount after tax, before reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

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