A method of reducing crack propagation in an airfoil (22) includes: providing an airfoil (22) having a root (36) spaced apart from a tip (34), spaced-apart leading and trailing edges (30, 32), a suction side (40) extending from the leading edge (30) to the trailing edge (32), and an opposed pressure side (38) extending from the leading edge (30) and the trailing edge (32), supporting the airfoil (22) against bending loads. The airfoil (22) is burnished using a burnishing element (42), so as to create at least one burnished section (68) of residual compressive stress. The at least one burnished section (68) is located adjacent the leading edge (30) and spaced from the leading edge (30) by an offset distance selected so as to avoid deformation of the leading edge (30).