The Company and Nature of Operations	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
The Company and Nature of Operations	The Company and Nature of Operations Handy & Harman Ltd. ("HNH") is a diversified manufacturer of engineered niche industrial products. HNH's diverse product offerings are marketed throughout the United States and internationally. HNH is a holding company that conducts operations through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, including its primary operating subsidiary, Handy & Harman Group Ltd. ("H&H Group"). HNH manages its group of businesses on a decentralized basis with operations principally in North America. HNH's business units encompass the following segments: Joining Materials, Tubing, Building Materials, Performance Materials, Electrical Products, and Kasco Blades and Route Repair Services ("Kasco"). All references herein to "we," "our" or the "Company" refer to HNH together with all its subsidiaries. On June 26, 2017, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger Agreement") with Steel Partners Holdings L.P. ("SPLP") and Handy Acquisition Co., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP ("Merger Sub"), pursuant to which, among other things, SPLP and Merger Sub will make a tender offer ("Offer") to purchase any and all of the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Shares"), of the Company not already owned by SPLP or any entity that is an affiliate of SPLP, for 1.484 6.0% Series A preferred units, no par value ("SPLP Preferred Units"), of SPLP that currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange for each Share ("Offer Price"). SPH Group Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP, beneficially owns approximately 70.0% of the outstanding Shares. Merger Sub's obligation to accept for payment and SPLP's obligation to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (a) a nonwaivable condition that there be validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer that number of Shares that, when added to the Shares already owned by SPLP and its subsidiaries, would represent at least a majority of all then outstanding Shares, (b) a nonwaivable condition that there be validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer that number of Shares that would represent at least a majority of all then outstanding Shares not owned by SPLP or any of its affiliates, (c) the SPLP Preferred Units issuable in the Offer and the Merger (as defined below) have been authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, (d) Shares held by stockholders that have properly exercised appraisal rights under Delaware law do not exceed ten percent (10%) of the Shares outstanding immediately prior to the expiration of the Offer, and (e) other customary conditions. There is no financing condition to the obligations to consummate the Offer. The Merger Agreement further provides that upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, following completion of the Offer, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and as an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP ("Merger"). In the Merger, each outstanding Share (other than Shares held by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, SPLP, Merger Sub or any other subsidiary of SPLP, or held by stockholders who are entitled to demand, and who properly demand, appraisal rights under Delaware law), will be converted into the right to receive the Offer Price, without interest. The Merger is subject to the following closing conditions: (i) Merger Sub having accepted for payment all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer and (ii) there being in effect no law or order which makes the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibits the consummation of the Merger. The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, SPLP and Merger Sub, including, among other things, a covenant of the Company not to solicit alternative transactions or to provide information or enter into discussions in connection with alternative transactions, subject to certain exceptions to allow the Board of Directors of the Company to exercise its fiduciary duties. The Merger Agreement may be terminated under certain circumstances, including in connection with superior proposals as set forth therein. If the Company terminates the Merger Agreement to enter into an agreement for a superior proposal and in other specified circumstances, the Company would be required to pay SPLP a $3.8 million termination fee and its transaction expenses up to $1.0 million.

The Company and Nature of Operations

Handy & Harman Ltd. ("HNH") is a diversified manufacturer of engineered niche industrial products. HNH's diverse product offerings are marketed throughout the United States and internationally. HNH is a holding company that conducts operations through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, including its primary operating subsidiary, Handy & Harman Group Ltd. ("H&H Group"). HNH manages its group of businesses on a decentralized basis with operations principally in North America. HNH's business units encompass the following segments: Joining Materials, Tubing, Building Materials, Performance Materials, Electrical Products, and Kasco Blades and Route Repair Services ("Kasco"). All references herein to "we," "our" or the "Company" refer to HNH together with all its subsidiaries.

On June 26, 2017, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger Agreement") with Steel Partners Holdings L.P. ("SPLP") and Handy Acquisition Co., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP ("Merger Sub"), pursuant to which, among other things, SPLP and Merger Sub will make a tender offer ("Offer") to purchase any and all of the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Shares"), of the Company not already owned by SPLP or any entity that is an affiliate of SPLP, for 1.484 6.0% Series A preferred units, no par value ("SPLP Preferred Units"), of SPLP that currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange for each Share ("Offer Price"). SPH Group Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP, beneficially owns approximately 70.0% of the outstanding Shares.

Merger Sub's obligation to accept for payment and SPLP's obligation to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (a) a nonwaivable condition that there be validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer that number of Shares that, when added to the Shares already owned by SPLP and its subsidiaries, would represent at least a majority of all then outstanding Shares, (b) a nonwaivable condition that there be validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer that number of Shares that would represent at least a majority of all then outstanding Shares not owned by SPLP or any of its affiliates, (c) the SPLP Preferred Units issuable in the Offer and the Merger (as defined below) have been authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, (d) Shares held by stockholders that have properly exercised appraisal rights under Delaware law do not exceed ten percent (10%) of the Shares outstanding immediately prior to the expiration of the Offer, and (e) other customary conditions. There is no financing condition to the obligations to consummate the Offer.

The Merger Agreement further provides that upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, following completion of the Offer, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and as an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SPLP ("Merger"). In the Merger, each outstanding Share (other than Shares held by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, SPLP, Merger Sub or any other subsidiary of SPLP, or held by stockholders who are entitled to demand, and who properly demand, appraisal rights under Delaware law), will be converted into the right to receive the Offer Price, without interest. The Merger is subject to the following closing conditions: (i) Merger Sub having accepted for payment all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer and (ii) there being in effect no law or order which makes the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibits the consummation of the Merger.

The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, SPLP and Merger Sub, including, among other things, a covenant of the Company not to solicit alternative transactions or to provide information or enter into discussions in connection with alternative transactions, subject to certain exceptions to allow the Board of Directors of the Company to exercise its fiduciary duties. The Merger Agreement may be terminated under certain circumstances, including in connection with superior proposals as set forth therein. If the Company terminates the Merger Agreement to enter into an agreement for a superior proposal and in other specified circumstances, the Company would be required to pay SPLP a $3.8 million termination fee and its transaction expenses up to $1.0 million.