Did you ever try to open an old lock on a church? How difficult can it be? And what picks do you use? I absolutely don't know what to do. I only know that it's a lever lock. )
Great post by captdunk! One other note on a really old lock, there was a time when the trick was just done by using very strong springs, and a few and simple wards. Feel for very hard springs, and sometimes several of them.