I, too, use a Sucrets can to carry my pre-cut patches in. In order to make it look more authentic, I put it in the coals of a camp fire and burned off all of the paint. Then I used some 4 ought steel wool and some motor oil to rub the metal surface clean of all burned paint and ashes. This resulted in a nice dark aged-looking finish that would pass all but the most careful scrutiny as an authentic tin.
Having said that, I acutally prefer to cut my patches at the muzzle. I coat my patch material with the preferred lube, wrap it in newspaper and run an iron over it to melt the lube into the material. Then I cut or tear the material into the proper width strips. I will take one of these strips and drape it over the end of my ramrod just in front of the front thimble. The gap between the ramrod and the bottom of the barrel in most rifles is small enough that a strip of patch material will remain there quite easily. When you are ready to load, the patch material is right there ready to be used. I carry spare strips rolled up in my Sucrets can in the bottom of my possibles bag or in my pocket.
I have used this technique when punching paper, doing a woodswalk and hunting and it has worked quite well in all occasions.