Young Xehanort in BBS uses sabers in his fights against the protagonist and in KH3D he uses his keyblade. His sabers are different from Xemnas's ethereal blades because his have a hilt and are also the same color as the energy on his keyblade, I think that the sabers are one of his keyblades transormations but can also be used as a keyblade alternative which makes sense as to why nomura said "Its possible Xemas was intentionally not using a keyblade" and why he could still summon  armor in his fight against Sora and Riku in KH2 .  

 

Here is Young Xehanorts keyblade in Dream Drop Distance

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the keyblade you get after beating Unknown in Birth by Sleep

 

 

 

 

Lastly here are YX's Sabers which look similar to the hands of the clock on No Heart and his KH3D keyblade

 

 

I'd like to hear someone else's thoughts on this theory.

I don't think so, I think that was the weapon he used before getting the Keyblade, remember, the only reason he was able to wiled a Keyblade in 3D was because, at the time, he was fully possessed by his future self. Nomura said that it was Master Xehanort's Keyblade with a different Keychain attached, not Young Xehanort's Keyblade.

Edited June 27, 201411 yr by Isamu_Kuno

I don't think so, I think that was the weapon he used before getting the Keyblade, remember, the only reason he was able to wiled a Keyblade in 3D was because, at the time, he was fully possessed by his future self. Nomura said that it was Master Xehanort's Keyblade with a different Keychain attached, not Young Xehanort's Keyblade.

Exactly from what we've seen people can manifest weapons based on their hearts power. Xemnas being part Xehanort would have access to that ability similar to how he had access to Young Xehanort's armor.

Nah, some wielders can just wield multiple weapons other than the Keyblade, like Riku and Lea. They could possibly still release hearts because it's the Keyblade wielder who releases them, so in that sense they still work as Keyblades, but the Keyblade itself draws out the wielder's true power. Xemnas could possibly still use a Keyblade, but just prefers to use Etherial Blades. The same applies to Young Xehanort, but in the battle with him he is temporarily possessed by Master Xehanort, so in a way that drawed out his full powers as a Keyblade wielder.

As I've understood it. Young Xehanort at that time could not wield a Keyblade. The person we're fighting in KH3D is Master Xehanort possessing his younger self. Mickey cast a spell to freeze all the Organization members. Moments after Master Xehanort finally emerged and possessed his younger self hence why he was able to move despite Mickey's spell.