i just heard about claiming forked coins. i did do some reading but i'm pretty nubish and want to make sure i fully understand before i do anything.

i have a bitcoin core wallet that is several years old. this means i can claim an equal amount of every forked coin right? i know about bitcoin cash, what are the other forked coins i can claim? i know i have to find a new wallet that supports the new coins, and i know there are plenty of them floating around. but the truth is i know nothing about any wallet other than bitcoin core, and i'm unsure which wallets are considered trustworthy within the community. recommendations would be appreciated.

i would also like to know what i have to do to claim my new coins. some google reading tells me i have to empty my wallet and import the private keys to another wallet. this makes me a little nervous cause my coins have been sitting undisturbed for years and the thought of messing this up and ending up with nothing is terrifying. step by step instructions would also be greatly appreciated.

i keep hearing about replay protection and not to do anything without it. what is that exactly and which forked coins support it? what are the other risks i might face by trying to claim forked coins?

i know i have to have a wallet before the fork, but is there any other time sensitive requirements i should know about? can i claim my forked coins at any time? considering not doing anything for now and doing this at a later date. do coins spent after the fork effect the amount received when i claim the forked coins or is it all about the snapshot of the block chain at the time of the fork?

i appreciate the education guys.