Folding Bikes - Will this work? SA AW 3 spd + DeoreXT thumbshifter ?

I've just rebuilt my Brompton's rear wheel with a NOS 1975 SA AW hub. The SA shifter works, let's say when it feels like it :( OK maybe 3 out of 4 shifts. I'm not that fussy, yet. Just wondering if any old friction thumb shifter will do the job ? I have a couple of XTs. I've ridden a friend's Brompton extensively, and know that the SA shifter, even when working properly is going to give my right thumb's muscles some grief ! Thanks.

A properly functioning and well set up SA shifter should not be a workout for you... my 9 and 11 year old daughters both have SA equipped bikes and they shift like butter.

They have to because they have little hands.

With that being said the older generation SA shifters work much better and they do need a drop of oil from time to time.

A modern indexed shifter will not pull the right amount of cable.

Sturmey today offers the following three-speed shifters that will work with your 1975 AW hub:

DLS30: a "Rapidfire" style double thumb lever, which Sturmey refers to as a "push-push"
TSS33: a twist shifter
TSS31: another twist shifter
OSS30: an interesting design with a push button for up-shifts and a thumb trigger for downshifts
SLS3C: the classic SA trigger shifter, still in production
SLS3N: a trigger shifter with more modern styling

HTH,
tcs

Thanks tcs, I'll look them up. If I wanted to, I guess the options by SA will work. I was just wondering if anyone tried the Shimano XT option with any success. I installed a Suntour XC Pro thumbshifter, on friction mode of course, and viola, i've 3 speeds. My curiousity far exceeds my need for more bike parts !