diff --git a/raphtory-benchmark/src/main.rs b/raphtory-benchmark/src/main.rs
index 4687d095a5..ca535c5748 100644
--- a/raphtory-benchmark/src/main.rs
+++ b/raphtory-benchmark/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use chrono::DateTime;
 use clap::{ArgAction, Parser};
 use csv::StringRecord;
 use flate2::read::GzDecoder;
@@ -50,6 +49,10 @@ struct Args {
     /// Debug to print more info to the screen
     #[arg(long, action=ArgAction::SetTrue)]
     debug: bool,
+
+    /// Set the number of locks for the node and edge storage
+    #[arg(long)]
+    num_shards: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ fn main() {
     let to_column = args.to_column;
     let time_column = args.time_column;
     let download = args.download;
+    let num_shards = args.num_shards;
 
     if download {
         let url = "https://osf.io/download/nbq6h/";
@@ -139,38 +143,35 @@ fn main() {
     println!("Running setup...");
     let mut now = Instant::now();
     // Iterate over the CSV records
-    let g = {
-        let g = Graph::new();
-        CsvLoader::new(file_path)
-            .set_header(header)
-            .set_delimiter(&delimiter)
-            .load_rec_into_graph(&g, |generic_loader: StringRecord, g: &Graph| {
-                let src_id = generic_loader
-                    .get(from_column)
-                    .map(|s| s.to_owned())
-                    .unwrap();
-                let dst_id = generic_loader.get(to_column).map(|s| s.to_owned()).unwrap();
-                let mut edge_time = DateTime::from_timestamp(1, 0).unwrap().naive_utc();
-                if time_column != -1 {
-                    edge_time = DateTime::from_timestamp_millis(
-                        generic_loader
-                            .get(time_column as usize)
-                            .unwrap()
-                            .parse()
-                            .unwrap(),
-                    )
-                    .unwrap()
-                    .naive_utc();
-                }
-                if debug {
-                    println!("Adding edge {} -> {} at time {}", src_id, dst_id, edge_time);
-                }
-                g.add_edge(edge_time, src_id, dst_id, NO_PROPS, None)
-                    .expect("Failed to add edge");
-            })
-            .expect("Failed to load graph from CSV data files");
-        g
+    let g = match num_shards {
+        Some(num_shards) => {
+            println!("Constructing graph with {num_shards} shards.");
+            Graph::new_with_shards(num_shards)
+        }
+        None => Graph::new(),
     };
+    CsvLoader::new(file_path)
+        .set_header(header)
+        .set_delimiter(&delimiter)
+        .load_rec_into_graph(&g, |generic_loader: StringRecord, g: &Graph| {
+            let src_id = generic_loader.get(from_column).unwrap();
+            let dst_id = generic_loader.get(to_column).unwrap();
+            let edge_time = if time_column != -1 {
+                generic_loader
+                    .get(time_column as usize)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .parse()
+                    .unwrap()
+            } else {
+                1i64
+            };
+            if debug {
+                println!("Adding edge {} -> {} at time {}", src_id, dst_id, edge_time);
+            }
+            g.add_edge(edge_time, src_id, dst_id, NO_PROPS, None)
+                .expect("Failed to add edge");
+        })
+        .expect("Failed to load graph from CSV data files");
     println!("Setup took {} seconds", now.elapsed().as_secs_f64());
 
     if debug {
diff --git a/raphtory/src/db/graph/graph.rs b/raphtory/src/db/graph/graph.rs
index af4841a00a..63fd86f29a 100644
--- a/raphtory/src/db/graph/graph.rs
+++ b/raphtory/src/db/graph/graph.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ impl InheritMutationOps for Graph {}
 impl InheritViewOps for Graph {}
 
 impl Graph {
-    /// Create a new graph with the specified number of shards
+    /// Create a new graph
     ///
     /// Returns:
     ///
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ impl Graph {
         Self(Arc::new(InternalGraph::default()))
     }
 
+    /// Create a new graph with specified number of shards
+    ///
+    /// Returns:
+    ///
+    /// A raphtory graph
+    pub fn new_with_shards(num_shards: usize) -> Self {
+        Self(Arc::new(InternalGraph::new(num_shards)))
+    }
     pub(crate) fn from_internal_graph(internal_graph: Arc<InternalGraph>) -> Self {
         Self(internal_graph)
     }
@@ -2903,4 +2911,14 @@ mod db_tests {
             ]
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn num_locks_same_as_threads() {
+        let pool = rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new()
+            .num_threads(5)
+            .build()
+            .unwrap();
+        let graph = pool.install(|| Graph::new());
+        assert_eq!(graph.0.inner().storage.nodes.data.len(), 5);
+    }
 }