Creating new distributions by blunting cusps

A simple method is proposed for 'blunting' cusped distributions, i.e. removing the cusp. No additional parameters are required. The method is applied to the asymmetric Laplace distribution, to the van Dorp and Kotz double-sided power distribution, and to the double-sided asymmetric Pareto distribution, and some properties of the blunted distributions are derived. An example of fitting the blunted asymmetric Pareto distribution to data is given.