Let's name names, Ebay is Fun e turnz in the main, Helen and Chris run the outfit. I think that they buy from David on some of their kits, for instance they are selling Bolt Action kits at a price that could only come from TB. However their bullet twist kit is not from TB nor PSI that I can make out as it is a complete bag of spare parts, its terrible. I thought that they also bought their Jr Gents from TB bu they do a gun metal which TB dont so they might buy direct from China. If you want to buy 500+ kits then you too can buy direct! I looked into it but didn't reckon that a stand full of Jr Gents Gold Fountain pens only would be much business sense!
David is a safe bet, I don't know what his ancestoral roots are but I believe that he has half his genes in the Chinese area and being an engineer he has been able to travel to Taiwan and communicate and deal with the producers and get a good deal on both quality and price.
I don't like the older Berea kits, the round and flat top pens, their website used to be very defensive about their engineering stating on their home page the top three reasons why handmade pens don't work, stating poor component alignment, poor workmanship and something else - Hmmm?? The PSI kits are a good bet and normally ok, again their bullet twist and others from their shooting range are not those that I would buy by preference.
Other sources, Stiles and Bates, limited and used to sell on from Craft Supplies, not really a pen turners shop of choice but do splendid woods
Turners Retreat, Berea in the main
Snainton, never used them so dont know what they sell
Woodturningz, great service, PSI reseller
Beartooth Woods never used them
Exotic Blanks Very helpful
PSI direct, a plague well worth being innoculated against and since TB now do the bolt action, an experience well worth avoiding, they are the most unhelpful bunch with their customer service heads so buried up their own *****.
Axminster, an unusual mix of kits sourced from a variety f places, but would avoid their Sierra kits (the black barrel) which are the same source as Woodturningz Mesa kits, their is an engineering issue in that the outer tube doesnt grip the mechanism to twist it properly.
Anyway, only my opinion, others will have theirs!
I'm at Prestwold Hall, near Loughborough this weekend so if anyone is in the area pop in and I'd love to have a yarn with you.