For this operation, I would use any garden tool that is small and has a sharp tip. I have two weeding tools that would work great; one in particular because it is like a screw driver with a forked tongue. Don't have something like this? You can use a small sharp knife. Because the section is not on an edge, aim to at minimum, remove part of the crown attached at the base of those blue leaves If you go even deeper and get some root on it that would be a bonus. Put your section in water to root / grow larger roots over the next few weeks and then plant.

whats the hurry .. maybe next year .. it will be more cooperative ...

and i wouldnt worry about the maple .... unless it is 6 inches tall ...

i never had any luck ... cutting a piece of crown ..... that is totally fresh cut ... on an edge.. half wont be cut.. e.g. ... it just seemed like they rotted before they calloused over ... probably could do the whole bleach and let it dry [on the driveway].. and then plant it????

you could also buy a big chef knife.. from the dollar store ... and use it like a garden tool .. rather than ruining a kitchen tool ... you can also use it to threaten slugs and vermin.. while you are stomping around the yard .... [though it may give fodder to the neighbors thinking you lost it .. which of course you did.. years ago ... lol]

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chef+knife+dollar+store+&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=1&ia=images

Connie, I never thought of putting a section in water. Just like rooting a coleus or geranium or something?

I have lots of sharp knives. The other ones I've sliced up this year I used my new serrated Lee Valley garden knife - like a tomato knife but broader - which is flexible and thin and made short work of it.

But I think for this I will need something smaller / finer.

If it just a single shoot in the clump I'd be inclined to leave it and see what happens in the spring next year, odds are it'll have more and you'll have a better chance of survival with multiple shoots and a larger root system. You should be able to tell what's happening before all the leaves have completely unfolded, which is one of my favourite times to divide so the new divisions have the whole growing season to grow new roots and recover from the injury we call division... The "proper" 'June' will have more shoots as well and you should be able to divide what you have now into two 'June' and the 'Halcyon' you're after, just a thought.

Pieter