[akhtene]

I agree with those who believe that Aragorn wasn't carrying the broken sword with him all the time - it would be quite useless as a weapon, but probably too precious to loose by acident.
I suppose after Elrond gave the heirlooms of his house to Aragorn, the sword was kept somewhere in the land of his people /as it is said that Elrond kept only the Sceptre in Rivendell/. And when time came Aragorn carried the shards back to Rivendell to be re-forged.