so the best we can do is to compare pattern production dates with the packaging they appear in.
mid 1990's clampack
circa 2001-2002 blue stripe boxes and clampacks
circa 1985/6 - 2001 tan (OT) and gray (UH) box and clampacks
were "blister-packed" (shrinkwrapped) to custom colored cards such as these UH fillet knives Circa 1982.
brown woodgrain folddown boxes
brown woodgrain slip top boxes
brown woodgrain hinge top boxes
and earlier series boxes (circa '74
here)
and later series boxes (circa
'90's)
There were also some white boxes,
red boxes, and... the older ones...
Then there were the clear tubes from the late sixties/early seventies.