KJ4IYK.....
I first learned the code back in 1988 on a Bencher iambic keyer, it was very easy to learn on and send......."too easy".....
The problem I developed with that iambic was I could send code at twice the speed I could read it. The few actual CW contacts I made on 10m I had to ask my contact to send slower, it caused a little confusion and difficulty on both them and myself. You need to develope your sending skills at the same speed you can copy.
I fell out of the radio hobby for close to 20 years, and I'm now just getting back into it. In that time I've completely forgotten Morse Code, and will have to start from scratch, this time I plan to get a straight key and learn the traditional way, it should also help to keep my sending speed in line with my poor ability to copy. The first time I barely passed the 5 wpm test, and topped out at around 6 to 8 wpm copy before I faded away from HAM radio, I'm hoping I can do better when I get around to re-learning it again.....
It is fun to learn, it's like a second language that fewer and fewer people bother with, you will hit levels that seem impossible to pass, but if you take your time, keep it fun, you'll have it down in no time......
As for the type of keyer.....it's as personal a choice as the color of underwear you like, find what works best for you, most guys that are really into the code usually have at least one of each type, and go back and forth between them.....
Also, I believe it's on New Years Eve every year, there's a "Straight Key Night" on the HF bands where everybody QSO's on a good old fashion straight keyer......