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Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Marketable securities, current $ 25,263,000us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent $ 38,250,000us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent  
Marketable securities, non current 19,365,000us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesNoncurrent 6,088,000us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesNoncurrent  
Equity method investments 135,989,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments 110,638,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments  
Private equity funds [Member]      
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Equity method investments 1,128,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
1,766,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
 
Impairment charges 100,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
300,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
400,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
Private equity funds [Member] | Level 3 [Member]      
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Fair market value of investment 1,600,000us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
   
Penn Mezzanine [Member]      
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Amount of gain associated with mark-to-market adjustments   1,100,000sfe_AmountOfGainAssociatedWithMarkToMarketAdjustments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= sfe_PennMezzanineMember
 
Impairment charges   300,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= sfe_PennMezzanineMember
2,500,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= sfe_PennMezzanineMember
Penn Mezzanine [Member] | Equity loss [Member]      
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Impairment charges   1,800,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= sfe_EquityIncomeLossMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= sfe_PennMezzanineMember
 
PixelOptics, Inc. [Member]      
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]      
Asset Impairment Charges   11,200,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= sfe_PixelOpticsIncMember
5,000,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= sfe_PixelOpticsIncMember
Equity method investments $ 0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= sfe_PixelOpticsIncMember