Brass Pounding without side tone

[OC71]

I've been reading some old issues of Morsum Magnificat, and it looks like the early operators didn't need a sidetone or a sounder to decode their own pounding and those who needed one were considered inferior operators or "hammers", hence "ham" (at least according to one source).

Is it possible to check your own keying (obviously we are talking straight key here) just by the clicking of your key and it is good practice or deprecated?

 

[Ham4CW]

I've posted a link to this video before on here I think :-*

It features one of the high speed Morse competition senders practicing with a straight key, but no side tone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPsgEdmlUf0

I've practiced without a side tone too, sometimes when I'm at work I will use the miniature military key I have in my tool box to send a few words or so, just to break up a boring day! ;D

73, Mark...