A method for testing a leading or trailing edge of a rotor blade, the method comprising: providing a single laser beam; providing a blade with an edge to be tested and that has been subjected to a material property improvement process, the material property improvement process being carried out with a first set of parameters using the single laser beam; covering the edge with an opaque material, which is opaque to the single laser beam; placing a transparent material, that is transparent to the single laser beam, on top of the opaque material; pulsing the single laser beam at a location on the edge of the blade at a first energy for a first pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade to a first depth, wherein the single laser beam passes through the transparent material and strikes the opaque material; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the first depth thereby creating a first notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs before a first predetermined number of cycles have been carried out, modifying the first set of parameters; if failure does not occur before the first predetermined number of cycles has been carried out, pulsing the single laser beam at the first notch and at a second energy for a second pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade at the first notch to a second depth; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the second depth thereby creating a second notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs, modify the first set of parameters; if failure does not occur, pulsing the single laser beam at the second notch and at a third energy for a third pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade at the second notch to a third depth; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the third depth thereby creating a third notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs, modify the first set of parameters. providing a single laser beam; providing a blade with an edge to be tested and that has been subjected to a material property improvement process, the material property improvement process being carried out with a first set of parameters using the single laser beam; covering the edge with an opaque material, which is opaque to the single laser beam; placing a transparent material, that is transparent to the single laser beam, on top of the opaque material; pulsing the single laser beam at a location on the edge of the blade at a first energy for a first pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade to a first depth, wherein the single laser beam passes through the transparent material and strikes the opaque material; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the first depth thereby creating a first notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs before a first predetermined number of cycles have been carried out, modifying the first set of parameters; if failure does not occur before the first predetermined number of cycles has been carried out, pulsing the single laser beam at the first notch and at a second energy for a second pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade at the first notch to a second depth; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the second depth thereby creating a second notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs, modify the first set of parameters; if failure does not occur, pulsing the single laser beam at the second notch and at a third energy for a third pulse period to cause a shock wave to penetrate the edge of the blade at the second notch to a third depth; removing material damaged by the single laser beam to the third depth thereby creating a third notch in the edge of the blade; performing a high cycle fatigue test for at least 10 6 cycles or until failure occurs; if failure occurs, modify the first set of parameters.