Packet of 100 flannel gun cleaning patches, dating back to the 1950s. Recommended by the manuals of Italian Republic Ministry of Defense as a «materia prima» (“commodity”) for the internal and external cleaning of small arms up to 7.62 mm caliber, the white cotton flannel patches were highly appreciated for their ability to remove remains of oil, detergent and solvent substances used in the maintenance of pistols and rifles, as well as acid - and potentially corrosive - residues left on metals by skin. In perfect conditions, the package, a certainly familiar accessory to anyone who has experienced the national service or chosen a military career, tells us of barracks and labors: a humble find, but with a strong evocative power.