Opening the box, the brushes looked lovely, and well made with a very precise point at the tip of the gently curved dagger. Using the brushes has been a total pleasure, it works with me. I use this brush for watercolors, and mostly for areas I need precision. The brush keeps its shape and point, holds a medium amount of water and paint and stays damp for a while. There is a medium amount of snap to the hairs, which works perfectly with the way I paint. It allows me to make precise, fine lines easily, lay down color passages and then soften edges with the same precision since the brush moves in such predictable ways. In a single stroke, it is easy to go from using the tip to the dagger edge, using the brush on its side almost like a flat brush, without stray or super snappy hairs springing free.