Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2014	Apr. 30, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits related to federal, state and foreign taxes		$ 1,200,000	$ 3,900,000
Income tax positions penalties accrued		0
Unrecognized tax benefits expected to reverse in the next twelve months		$ 0
Net operating loss carryforwards for federal tax			2,000,000,000
Net operating loss carryforwards for state tax			427,700,000
Foreign net operating loss carryforward			68,700,000
Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, adoption date		Oct. 17, 2011
Indefinite Carryforward
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Foreign net operating loss carryforward			50,800,000
Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, percentage of ownership require to obtain approval from board of directors to acquiring shares of the company's securities		4.99%
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Capital loss carryforwards			$ 600,000
Capital losses expiration year			2016
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2011
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date			Jul. 31, 2021
Federal | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2015
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date			Jul. 31, 2033
State
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Capital loss carryforwards			$ 600,000
Capital losses expiration year			2016
State | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2011
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date			Jul. 31, 2016
State | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2015
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration date			Jul. 31, 2033
Foreign | Europe Income Tax Authority | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2009
Foreign | Europe Income Tax Authority | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2015
Foreign | Asia Income Tax Authority | Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2005
Foreign | Asia Income Tax Authority | Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax examinations tax period		2015
Handy & Harman | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Percentage of common shares outstanding permitted with protective amendment for acquired by HNH and its affiliates	45.00%