Income Taxes (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Current deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Inventories	$ 2,996	$ 3,106
Pension and postretirement benefits	3,726	3,638
Accrued expenses and other	381	585
Accrued compensation and benefits	1,166	978
Tax attributes	740	109
Total net current deferred tax assets	9,933	9,341
Noncurrent deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Property, plant and equipment, net	(25,665)	(22,960)
Intangible assets	(1,888)	(1,973)
Pension and postretirement benefits	79,653	72,072
Accrued compensation and benefits	2,889	2,556
Tax attributes		1,337
Other accruals	1,119	1,296
Total	68,255	65,427
Valuation Allowance		(314)
Total net noncurrent deferred tax assets	68,255	65,113
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)	78,188	74,454
Other tax attributes	740
Undistributed losses of foreign subsidiaries	43,054
TIMET Agreement
Current deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Total net current deferred tax assets	924	925
Noncurrent deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Total	$ 12,147	$ 13,099