A Hamilton man spent almost five hours dealing with a stab wound on his own Tuesday night before giving in and calling an ambulance, police say.

Police first got a call about a disturbance in the area of 77 Tindale Court around 10:30 p.m., but when they got there, nothing was going on.

Officers interviewed some people in the area, but it seemed that everyone involved had taken off.

Then just before 3 a.m., police and an ambulance were called to a home in the centre of the city for a 20-year-old man who had a stab wound he "was no longer able to self-care for," police say.

Officers tried to interview the man while he was getting medical attention, but he provided "very limited details," police say. He was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Police subsequently figured out the man was linked to the disturbance at 77 Tindale Court. According to police, the victim was in the area with a group of people when three men approached him.

A fight broke out, and the man was stabbed, police say. The victim left the area with help from his friends, and was "temporarily treated" before having to call police.

Officers went back to where the original fight broke out and located what they believe to be the exact place the stabbing happened. They are currently processing evidence.