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Note 6 - Goodwill (Details) - Goodwill by Reportable Segment (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31	$ 16,951us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 16,951us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 16,951us-gaap_Goodwill		$ 40,787us-gaap_Goodwill		$ 40,787us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill impairment	(23,800)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	(23,836)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	(23,836)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	[1]		[1]	(6,583)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	[1]
Flat Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31	500us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_FlatProductsMember	500us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_FlatProductsMember	500us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_FlatProductsMember		500us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_FlatProductsMember		500us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_FlatProductsMember
Tubular and Pipe Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31	16,451us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember	16,451us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember	16,451us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember		40,287us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember		40,287us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember
Goodwill impairment			$ (23,836)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember
[1] The goodwill impairment in 2014 related to the tubular and pipe products segment. The goodwill impairment in 2012 related the to flat products segment's Southern region.

X

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing 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 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

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 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585



Reference 2: 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 3: 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 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

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=zeus_FlatProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=zeus_TubularandPipeProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: