Business Acquisitions, Investments and Noncontrolling Interests - Pro Forma (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
		Aug. 29, 2015	Aug. 30, 2014		Aug. 29, 2015	Aug. 30, 2014
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 357,557	$ 400,152		$ 1,108,479	$ 1,099,479
Pro forma, net sales			400,152			1,161,738
Operating profit		119,755	135,325		366,340	357,282
Pro forma, gross profit			62,397			171,130
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.		$ 36,445	41,703		$ 101,651	100,576
Pro forma, net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.			$ 41,828			$ 117,612
Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.72	$ 0.82		$ 2.00	$ 1.98
Pro forma, diluted earnings per share(in dollars per share)			$ 0.82			$ 2.32
Adjustments related to step-up of inventory					$ 126
Filter Resources, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 5,141			14,323
Operating profit (loss)		536			1,223
Stanadyne [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales		20,426	$ 28,014		70,086	$ 37,006
Operating profit (loss)		3,586	7,275		14,797	5,348
Air Filtrations Segment of General Electric [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales		42,275	59,842		150,506	172,205
Operating profit (loss)		2,938	5,038		13,840	8,810
Engine/Mobile Filtration [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales			0			46,837
Operating profit (loss)	[1]		0			17,677
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.			$ 0			$ 10,485
Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 0.00			$ 0.21
Adjustments to remove transaction costs					3,035
Adjustments related to step-up of inventory					1,368
Industrial/Environmental Filtration [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales			$ 0			$ 15,422
Operating profit (loss)			171	[2]		8,814	[3]
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.			$ 125			$ 6,551
Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 0.00			$ 0.13
Adjustments to remove transaction costs						$ 2,089
Adjustments related to step-up of inventory						4,342
Bekaert [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales		2,981	$ 2,809		8,698	9,111
Operating profit (loss)		$ 62	(125)		$ (457)	(679)
As Reported [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Net sales			400,152			1,099,479
Operating profit			62,226			144,639
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.			$ 41,703			$ 100,576
Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 0.82			$ 1.98

[1] Includes adjustments to remove transaction costs of $3,035 and cost of sales related to the step-up of inventory to its estimated acquisition-date fair value of $1,368, as such costs were pushed back to the nine months ended August 31, 2013 for pro forma presentation. Also includes adjustments to intangible asset amortization, depreciation expense and interest expense.

[2] Includes adjustments to cost of sales related to the step-up of inventory to its estimated acquisition-date fair value of $126, as such costs were pushed back to the nine months ended August 31, 2013 for pro forma presentation.

[3] Includes adjustments to remove transaction costs of $2,089 and cost of sales related to the step-up of inventory to its estimated acquisition-date fair value of $4,342, as such costs were pushed back to the nine months ended August 31, 2013 for pro forma presentation. Also includes adjustments to intangible asset amortization, depreciation expense and interest expense.