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Pension Plans - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Jan. 02, 2016
Jan. 03, 2015
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Normal retirement age 65 years    
Accumulated benefit obligation $ 1,283.1 $ 1,231.2  
Description of amortization actuarial gains and losses Actuarial gains and losses in excess of 10 percent of the greater of the projected benefit obligation or market-related value of assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the average remaining service period of active participants or over the average remaining life expectancy for plans with primarily inactive participants.    
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 7.40% 7.40% 7.40%
Expense recognized related to 401(k)plan $ 8.2 $ 7.0 $ 6.5
Minimum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Time horizon for asset under risk and correlation assumption (in years) 10 years    
Maximum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Time horizon for asset under risk and correlation assumption (in years) 20 years    
Domestic Pension Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Weighted-average discount rate 4.50%    
Description of discount rate assumption Lowering Snap-on'sdomestic discount rate assumption by 50 basis points (100 basis points ("bps") equals 1.0 percent) would have increased Snap-on's 2016 domestic pension expense and projected benefit obligation by approximately $6.7 million and $65.3 million, respectively.    
Discount rate assumption 0.50%    
Increase in pension expense $ 6.7    
Increase in projected benefit obligation $ 65.3    
Percentage of projected benefit obligations 83.00%    
Expected future employer contributions $ 2.3    
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 7.50%    
Pension plans' assets as percentage of worldwide pension assets 86.00%    
Foreign Pension Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Weighted-average discount rate 2.90%    
Description of discount rate assumption Lowering Snap-on's foreign discount rate assumption by 50 bps would have increased Snap-on's 2016 foreign pension expense and projected benefit obligation by approximately $1.7 million and $23.4 million, respectively.    
Discount rate assumption 0.50%    
Increase in pension expense $ 1.7    
Increase in projected benefit obligation 23.4    
Expected future employer contributions $ 7.1    
Foreign Pension Plans [Member] | Minimum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 1.80%    
Foreign Pension Plans [Member] | Maximum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 6.30%