Brian

I agree with Colin, and the gold content can go down very low as Ford once mentioned. Plus I don't think those are all shakudo. Especially not the first.

Perfectly captured utsuri

Actually...I do yes. I have a fairly well stocked workshop, very proud of it :-)

Have a large one at home, I'll need to pull it out and take pics

I'm also in the "average Soten school tsuba" camp. Nothing top, but not just. As for value...I guess you would pay $400 or so for one in a shop or a dealer? That is a wild guess though, I may easily stand corrected

I'd say the quality is definitely there.

I'll message you what I have on behalf of the seller.

All upside down. Edit them on your phone etc, and resave. That will lock the orientation. Then edit your post, and re-upload to get them the right way round.

No, it dries like hard plastic. Not sticky or anything. The only risk would be getting some under a loose piece

Maybe message Raymond Yan on FB. He seems to have a steady supply of them at good prices, and lists them on one of the groups. https://www.facebook.com/raymond.yan.950241

Howard, Google polymorph plastics. There are a ton of varieties. Usually warm water softens them, and as they cool, they get hard. Great for working out shapes such as missing brass sheet inlays on tanegashima etc.

If the missing pieces are inlayey, although it would take ages, I don't see why someone wouldn't be able to take impressions using one of the moldeable plastics that get soft when you put them in hot water, then harden. This will give you the shape. The transfer to thin sheets of MOP...freely available at places like https://lumea.co/products/inlay-surfaces/veneers Then cut them out or grind slightly with a Dremel, and replace the main ones.

You can be pretty sure it's gimei. Komonjo's source in Japan would only be exporting swords that were already tested there. These aren't USA sourced swords. I'd say any real feelings that it's shoshin are likely misplaced. That said, it looks like a decent sword.

John, Awesome job. You should consider offering these to the JSSUS for publication in their newsletters. @Grey Doffin?

Habaki does NOT go through the tsuba. From the front it's habaki --> seppa (easy enough to source or make) then tsuba, then seppa, then fuchi that sits on the tsuka. You need to take everything apart and get everything complete before refitting. The tsuba isn't the right one for this blade, but can be made to fit by using copper inserts hammered into the nakago ana. Or find another tsuba.