In article ,
notbob wrote:

I'm also looking for a GOOD straight key.

I want to invest in quality, but am not wealthy. I was gonna buy a
Vibroplex Know Code key, but the reviews are less than heartening.
So, I talked to Al at Milestone Technologies and he said something that
kinda set me back on my heels. He claimed a straight key is not much
good for anything over 15 wpm. Yikes!

NB-

My favorite straight key is a WWII surplus J-38, mounted on a more
stable base.

The Model J-37 is the same key without a shorting switch. This may be a
better choice, because an accidentally shorted key can be a pain to
troubleshoot!

When I took my Extra code test at an FCC office, there was only a
straight key available for sending 20 WPM. If it is adjusted for the
right amount of "bounce", you should be able to manage 20 or 25 WPM.

I waited until I had the Extra class license, before trying any kind of
keyer. The one I have was built from a QST article, "The WB4VVF
Accukeyer". It was fun to build and works with an "iambic" paddle.

The Accukeyer is somewhat less tiring to use than a straight key when
sending at higher speeds. I prefer it to the keyers built into many
modern transceivers, because of its automatic character spacing feature.
It takes a bit of coordination to use!

Fred
K4DII