Ah, how I loved to push Tri-X to 800 ASA. Just for the fun of it...

Gods Tri_X fomula = HC-100 1:31 7.5 mins at 68 Deg

The absolute best tonal gradation and sharpest grain.

HC-110 was/is a more modern/improved version of D76 If you can call 30+ years ago modern but D76 was a round a lot longer than that. HC is a highly concentrated liquid solution that you where able to really tweak the dilutions and it was a lot easier to mix for one shot since D-76 was a powder and it you were working at the optimal temp of 68 Deg it took a good bit of mixing to get it all into solution.

1:31 was what Kodak called dilution B and this was an Ansel fave from what I've read. Microdol-X for Tri_x in my book was crap for any "Fine Art" work. Microdol was like for portrait people because it softened the grain. In doing that it also killed sharpness and the beautiful and subtle tonal gradation you got from D-76/HC-110.

Dilution B HC_110 was perfect for one shot developing in reel tanks as the 2 reelers took 16 oz and the dilution B works out to where you added .5 oz to your measuring beaker and then finished filling with water to 16 Oz. For the 4 reel tanks it took 32 Oz so 1 oz HC and fill the beaker to 32 ozs.

I might have shot Plus-X a coupla times and for that the formula I used was Agfa Rodinal 1:75 for 15 mins at 68 deg.

Too bad the demise of Panatomic happened early in my B&W days as that was like the Velvia of B&W. I don't remember the dilutions but the developer I used was Edwal FG7.

I was the teaching assistant in college in the photo Dept. I had full freedom to order and experiment with whatever chemicals I wanted including requesting any chemistry from the
schools Chemistry dept to make my own formulas.
Anyone remember Beers paper developer?. After much testing the above formulas are what worked best for me.

Yeah I"ve heard the "myth" of replenished D-76 acutance yada yada but I don't buy it. There is no real way to keep the strength consistent and so there was really no "real" control of accurate consistent development times. In commercial applications and controlled light situations things were a lot more forgiving and if you were at least good about keeping the temps between your chem solutions within one or 2 deg from each other then it kept the grain to a min on Tri-X.

We used to replenish ID-11, and it did become better, much better ranges so to speak.....

Funny, even though I used to have my own darkroom, I never even tried Tri-X. I'd see other people using it with D76 on 35mm and getting massive grain which bugged me, so I did my own research and came up with a combo that suited me better:

Fuji Acros or T-Max developed with T-Max and -very- precise temperature and timing. I could mix as little or as much as I needed and just dump it out (heavily diluted) when done. Real easy and the results were superb, especially with midtones. I got very printable negatives that held a lot of tones, using the zone system for sheet film or the "book numbers" for 35. If I wanted deeper blacks or more contrast I'd just do it with the enlarger.

I still have all my darkroom gear in storage, just need the space and plumbing to build another one. As much as I love digital printing I really miss practicing the analog craftsmanship that goes into making a black and white wet print, especially on fiber. Working in the dark, playing Mr. Science with chemicals, the smell of the chemistry, glow of the red lights, and the burble of the washer. For color forget about it, digital printing rules, but the total experience of working chemicals, films, and papers in a darkroom environment...well I miss it a lot.

Don't tell my fiancee but we have a crappy guest bathroom off my office that I already have sketches for converting into a very small darkroom. Main problem: her cat! It's literally the cat's bathroom and the last thing you want in a darkroom is a cat and a litter box!

Fortunately the cat is pretty old, a little bit mean, and won't be missed too much. Hmm, does D76 mix with cat food, or would I be better off with selenium toner?