The Knipex Cobra was first released in 1984.

Product origin

Knipex lists the development of the Cobra as occurring in 1984, describing it as water pump pliers with quick, push‑button, fine adjustment. Knipex’s own historical timeline and later posts by its regional branches both date the first Cobra pliers to 1984.

Confirmation from other sources

A Knipex UK social media post notes that the first Knipex Cobra dates back to 1984 and emphasizes that this makes the design roughly four decades old. General overviews of Knipex’s product lines also identify the Cobra as a key model introduced in 1984.