Information on Business Segments (Details 1) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,229,959,000	$ 1,169,355,000	$ 1,028,617,000
Long-lived assets located in any one international country	1
Long-Lived Assets	1,220,100,000	862,700,000	910,300,000
Aerospace [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	390,483,000	382,506,000	334,180,000
Industrial [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	497,043,000	440,482,000	374,068,000
Domestic [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	800,462,000	765,586,000	701,745,000
Long-Lived Assets	372,016,000	303,721,000	290,440,000
International [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	468,143,000	441,997,000	368,570,000
Long-Lived Assets	848,080,000	558,988,000	619,887,000
Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	(38,646,000)	(38,228,000)	(41,698,000)
Sales from international locations to domestic locations	44.00%
Long-Lived Assets	0	0	0
Singapore [Member] | Aerospace [Member] | Intangible Assets [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Disclosure on geographic areas, long-lived assets in foreign countries, exceed 10% of total Company long-lived assets	239,100,000
China [Member] | Industrial [Member] | Goodwill and Intangible Assets [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Disclosure on geographic areas, long-lived assets in foreign countries, exceed 10% of total Company long-lived assets	152,100,000
Germany [Member] | Industrial [Member] | Goodwill and Intangible Assets [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Disclosure on geographic areas, long-lived assets in foreign countries, exceed 10% of total Company long-lived assets	140,900,000
Switzerland [Member] | Industrial [Member] | Goodwill And Property Plant And Equipment [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Disclosure on geographic areas, long-lived assets in foreign countries, exceed 10% of total Company long-lived assets	151,100,000
Barnes Distribution North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 300,000,000