Well I guess it is time to stop lurking.  I am pretty new to this site but from what I've see it is really great!

Although my newbie question is about two sourdough loafs it is also about whole wheat bread.  Since the starter, proccess, recipe etc were all the same I THINK it was the flour that goofed me.

Using Robin Hood Whole Wheat flour, 13% protein I get a nice dough that, with a bit of work, came together well, got nice and stretchy and produced nice, airy whole wheat sourdough.  This flour had the large flecks of bran, which I believe, is indicitive of remixed industrial grinding.

 Using this flour from "Anita's Organic Mill" (a local place)...marked Stone Ground Whole Wheat flour...I get a bag of flour which is all an even sized grind and gives me incredibly dense bread.  The thing is it is supposed to be 14% protein which should give me a bigger rise, bigger wholes, chewier crust.  I got no oven spring and during the rise my carefully shaped mini boules...ruptured.  It was like they didn't have the gluten to hold shape. 

Now I might have thought this was over acidification or over proofing but while kneading the dough, it just never really came together the way white or "big fleck" whole wheat does.  It reminded me of...sugar cookie dough?  It was smooth, and would stretch (like taffy stretches) but would never window pane to any great degree.  This was after 2x the amount of kneading as with Robin flour...

 So what are peoples thoughts?  Does stoneground whole wheat not knead as well because the bran is ground in so fine?  Or...I dunno.  I am lost.

HELP