Note 8 - Fair Value Measurements, Nonrecurring Basis (Details)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Tubular And Pipe Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Goodwill	$ 0	$ 0
Trade name	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Tubular And Pipe Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Trade name	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Tubular And Pipe Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Trade name	15,425,000	15,425,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Tubular And Pipe Products [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Impairments		(16,451,000)
Trade name	15,425,000	15,425,000
Trade name gain/(loss)		(8,000,000)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Specialty Metal Flat Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Specialty Metal Flat Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Specialty Metal Flat Products [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Specialty Metal Flat Products [Member]
Goodwill	0	0
Impairments		(500,000)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Total	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Total	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Total	15,425,000	15,425,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Total	15,425,000	15,425,000
Gain/(loss)		(24,951,000)
Tubular And Pipe Products [Member]
Impairments		(16,451,000)
Specialty Metal Flat Products [Member]
Impairments	$ (500,000)	(500,000)
Impairments		(16,951,000)
Trade name gain/(loss)		$ (8,000,000)

Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824106&loc=d3e2420-110228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

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Fair value portion of asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19190-110258

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Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

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- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of an intangible asset (excluding goodwill) to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16373-109275

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

Fair value portion of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, that lack physical substance, having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

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