Actually, those jankety-ass corncob pipes you can get for two bucks at the gas station hit damn well for a cheap piece; a lot better than a really cheap/small glass one, anyway.

Also, if it's a metal pipe, DO NOT SOLDER IT! If the solder heats up from smoking out of the pipe, not only will your pipe start to fall apart, but you'll also be inhaling tin, lead, and resin fumes-- a bad scene any way you look at it.

If the piece is glass, just buy a new one, as it isn't really worth repairing a $60 piece.

That said, lodge your foot up your "friend"'s ass for me, and tell him goodman3eb said hi.