Investments - Gross Realized Gains and Losses (Details) - Steel Excel Inc. - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Gain (Loss) on Securities [Line Items]
Gross realized gains	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Gross realized losses	(27,310)	0	(43,662)	0
Realized losses, net	$ (27,310)	$ 0	$ (43,662)	$ 0

Amount of realized gain on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfGainLossOnInvestmentsIncludingMarketableSecuritiesAndInvestmentsHeldAtCostIncomeStatementReportedAmountsSummaryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=splp_SteelExcelInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: