Type your comment> @berd said:
Keep in mind that the pass phrase you cracked is most likely not the SSH key; I would really look at what the hash is and how people usually authenticate using that. After doing so, then you can use that phrase that you cracked to get into the second user.
that was my issue. the original hash I cracked i never ended up using, because i did something “differently”, so i didnt need it. trying to figure that one out now.
Thanks to @TazWake for helping me sort out why what i thought USER2’s password was, actually wasnt, and a whole different tool was needed with what the original cracked hash would have revealed