A Sydney man has been hospitalised after he was repeatedly stabbed in the inner-city suburb of Redfern.

Police were called to Cope Street shortly before 6:00pm, where they found the 64-year-old with stab wounds to his abdomen and back.

The man was taken to hospital in a stable condition with injuries not thought to be life threatening.

Police have been told that four men attacked the man as he was walking along a footpath.

He was punched and fell to the ground and the men stabbed him four times with a knife and a pair of scissors.

The men then ran away.

Police Inspector Jane Hansford said the man is expected to have surgery.

"The 64-year-old man was punched and kicked and pushed and stabbed by four male offenders," she said.

"Police attended and found a 64-year-old man in the street with stab wounds to his abdomen and back.

"The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance where he is currently in a stable condition."

A crime scene was established while local police and the dog unit searched the area but could not locate the man's attackers.

Police are appealing for information to identify the men who were last seen running south along Cope Street.

The first man has been described as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island appearance, 180cm tall with a solid build and aged in his mid 20s. He had short dark hair and was wearing a blue hooded jumper.

The second man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his late teens to early 20s with a thin build.

The third man is only described as being aged in his late teens to early 20s with a large to overweight build while the fourth man has not been described.