The sword never leaves the scabbard for combat, for practical uses, or to threaten or intimidate someone.

In fighting Xena can only use her body, pressure points, the chakram, fire blowing, non-sword weapons, or improvising with whatever comes to hand. She also can’t use a sword she took from someone else.

Let’s get technicalities out of the way since people love them:

It has to be the “usual” Xena, Xena’s personality in Xena’s own body played by Lucy, either in Greece or a reincarnation or a clone. Xena is fully cognizant and doesn’t have amnesia or other issue.

Toy swords like in Solstice Carol are ok, real blades are not.

One example is Between the Lines where Xena has left her sword behind with her armour and only carries the chakram in her Indian clothes. I don’t recall her stealing a sword in the opening fight with the mob.