<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-04-04</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001001606</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BLOUNT INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001241082</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SAITO KENNETH O</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4909 SE INTERNATIONAL WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97222</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. VP - Manufact. &amp; Oper.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2000 Stock Incentive Plan</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-04-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.1901</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-06-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>299887</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">All stock options granted under the 1999 and 2000 Stock Incentive Plans became fully vested on or before December 31, 2004.  As to all except the 1999 Plan Performance Options, this occurred on December 20, 2004 the time of a Change-In-Control (as defined in the 1999 and 2000 Stock Incentive Plans) upon the closing of a Secondary Offering by Lehman Brothers of 10,000,000 shares of Blount International common stock.  The Performance Shares were vested as of December 31, 2004 by action taken by the Board of Directors of Blount International, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Broker-Assisted Cashless Exercise (Exercise and Immediate Sale Through Broker April 4, 2011).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Richard H. Irving, III</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
