Business Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Apr. 04, 2015	Mar. 29, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 2,630.0us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 2,617.1us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Segment profit	386.3us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	352.3us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Corporate overhead	(35.7)swk_CorporateOverheadExpense	(36.5)swk_CorporateOverheadExpense
Other-net	(63.7)us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense	(60.9)us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense
Restructuring charges and asset impairments recognized	(24.9)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	3.7us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Interest expense	(44.4)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(44.1)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Interest income	3.7us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest	3.4us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	221.3	217.9
Tools & Storage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges and asset impairments recognized		(17.0)
Securities Industry
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges and asset impairments recognized		(7.0)
Segment, Continuing Operations \| Tools & Storage [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	1,632.1	1,574.8
Segment profit	256.8	212.8
Segment, Continuing Operations \| Securities Industry
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	509.6	544.9
Segment profit	54.8	52.8
Segment, Continuing Operations \| Industrial Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	488.3	497.4
Segment profit	$ 74.7	$ 86.7

Corporate Overhead Expense

No definition available.

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- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

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-SubTopic 10

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

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- Definition

Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income on nonoperating securities.

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- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Other noninterest expenses that are not separately presented in any other noninterest expense category.

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- Definition

Amount of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section P

-Subsection 3, 4

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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