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STOCK PLANS (Textual) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Apr. 28, 2006
Stock Plans        
Common shares available for future grant under all plans (in shares) 2,330,493us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant      
Total stock-based compensation expense $ 8,416,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 9,734,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 8,961,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense  
Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation recognized in the period 3,222,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense 3,727,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense 3,409,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense  
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to nonvested stock options, restricted shares and restricted stock units 12,452,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized      
Weighted average period of recognition of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense (in months) 3 years      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value 5,104,000us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1 5,131,000us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1 4,791,000us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1  
Stock options        
Stock Plans        
Award expiration (in years) 10 years      
Award vesting period (in years) 3 years      
Aggregate intrinsic value of awards outstanding 65,873,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
     
Aggregate intrinsic value of awards exercisable 64,161,000us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
     
Total intrinsic value of awards exercised 14,647,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
26,288,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
25,936,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
 
Restricted stock awards        
Stock Plans        
Shares converted (in shares) 80,753us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
224,021us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
62,524us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Shares granted (in shares) 14,927us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
14,464us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
20,099us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Shares granted (in dollars per share) $ 66.32us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
$ 70.88us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
$ 47.81us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Remaining weighted average life of non-vested restricted awards (in years) 1 year 9 months 18 days      
Restricted Stock Units        
Stock Plans        
Shares converted (in shares) 40,035us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
33,698us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
10,499us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
 
Shares granted (in shares) 2,861us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
69,925us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
133,944us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
 
Shares granted (in dollars per share) $ 70.71us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
$ 67.17us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
$ 47.97us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
 
Remaining weighted average life of non-vested restricted awards (in years) 3 years 2 months 12 days      
1995 Lincoln Stock Purchase Plan        
Stock Plans        
Maximum additional number of the Company's common shares that may be granted (in shares) 800,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
     
Shares purchased (in shares) 5,511us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
4,653us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
4,908us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
 
EPI Plan        
Stock Plans        
Maximum additional number of the Company's common shares that may be granted (in shares)       6,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= leco_EquityAndPerformanceIncentivePlanMember
Director Plan        
Stock Plans        
Maximum additional number of the Company's common shares that may be granted (in shares)       600,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= leco_DirectorPlanMember
2005 Plan | Restricted Stock Units        
Stock Plans        
Shares converted (in shares) 17,131us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= leco_A2005DeferredCompensationPlanMember
     
Deferred RSUs (in shares) 46,375leco_RsuAndDividendEquivalentWhoseConversionToSharesAreDeferred
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= leco_A2005DeferredCompensationPlanMember
     
Minimum | Restricted stock awards        
Stock Plans        
Award vesting period (in years) 3 years      
Minimum | Restricted Stock Units        
Stock Plans        
Award vesting period (in years) 3 years      
Maximum | Restricted stock awards        
Stock Plans        
Award vesting period (in years) 5 years      
Maximum | Restricted Stock Units        
Stock Plans        
Award vesting period (in years) 5 years      
Maximum | 1995 Lincoln Stock Purchase Plan        
Stock Plans        
Dollar value of shares that each employee has the ability to purchase on the open market, on a commission-free basis annually under the plan $ 10,000leco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesPerEmployeeAmount
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember