Pension Plans - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jul. 04, 2015 USD ($)
Foreign Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected future employer contributions	$ 7.1
Domestic Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected future employer contributions	2.0
Cash contributions made	25.7
Discretionary contribution	25.0
Required contribution	$ 0.7

Defined benefit plan contributions by employer, required by law.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	sna_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase in the fair value of plan assets from contributions made by the employer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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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

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- Definition

Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of discretionary contributions made by an employer to a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Details

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- Details

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