Quote Originally Posted by Tobias Key View Post
I mixed up a batch of Xtol earlier this week. Try as I might I couldn't get the 'A' powder to completely dissolve. I assumed I had done something stupid like not cleaning my mixing bucket properly, added the 'B' powder and filtered the final solution to get the precipitate out. I have had slightly thin negatives but I am testing a new film and a new spot meter so can't be sure it is the developer. I did shoot some HP5 which I have been using for a long time with Xtol and those negs seem fine.

So now I am in a similar position where my faith in my standardised developer process is somewhat shaken. I guess the easiest step would be to buy another pack of Xtol but I am seriously considering switching developer. There is nothing worse than an unpredictable product.
It might not be practical for a commercial photographer, but my decision is to migrate my practice over to Pyro instead of Xtol, assuming there are ongoing issues with the manufacture of Xtol. I suppose there's always the Legacy Pro version of Xtol, which I haven't tried yet.