Disappointed with Montblanc Mystery Black/ Is Royal Blue Better?

[Foyle]

I've got a bottle of Montblanc Mystery Black ink, and I regret to say that I'm not a fan. Toffee Brown is a nice ink, but Mystery Black just leaves a lot to be desired. It looks mushy, washed out, and thin. It doesn't impart much glide to the nib either. It doesn't flow well in any pen I've put it in except for my M200 before I had the nib readjusted by John Mottishaw. Before readjusting, the pen was a gusher, and Mystery Black actually performed fairly well in that pen. I had the flow on this pen reduced by a notch, and now it doesn't like this ink anymore.

The flow of Mystery Black is hard to describe. It's like a free flowing ink that feels dry and looks watery. It's a weird paradox. Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black is much better. Sure, it's a dryer ink, but it imparts a silky smooth glide for the nib, and it's a nice dark black that writes a tight, well controlled line. Aurora is wetter and blacker but still nice and controlled.

I've had a mind to try Montblanc's Royal Blue sometime, but now I'm a little worried that it will behave as poorly as Mystery Black.

Can anyone comment on Montblanc's Royal Blue? Is it better than Mystery Black?

 

[nemo]

I use Montblanc inks but have never tried Mystery Black. Their newest royal blue (Austria) is one of my favorites with consistent flow similar to 4001.

Midnight blue is nearly black (older iron gall formula).

 

[djm2]

I too have never had an issue with any MB inks, but also have not tried the Mystery Black. I'll consider that a heads up alert.