'Click go the shears' is once again the cry at one shearing shed near Goulburn in southern New South Wales this week, with the world's best blade shearers honing their skills and their blades, ahead of this weekend's National Shearing Championships.

"With the blade, you control the sheep through its skin, which is much more comfortable for the sheep," says reigning world-champion blade shearer, South Africa's Mayenzeke Shweni, extolling the virtues of his craft through an interpreter.

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"I love to shear with the blades," Mr Shweni grinned.

World champion blade shearer Mayenzeke Shweni checks his blades after sharpening. ( James Bennett )

Pausing between sheep at John and Anne MacPhillamy's Tarlow property near Goulburn, he explains why.

"It's easier for me to shear with the blade, because I can have a little rest from time to time while I'm shearing.

"With the machine, [I feel like] the machine is chasing me, but with the blade, I'm in control of that."

But don't let that fool you into thinking he's a slouch, Mr Shweni is capable of shearing 110 to 150 sheep a day, by hand.

With 70 percent of South Africa's wool clip still removed by blade-wielding shearers, it's not hard to see why the nation dominates competitions in the discipline.

Tools of the trade: Five-time world champion Zwelieile Hans' hand-sharpened blades ( James Bennett )

President of the South African Shearers' Federation Hendrik Boita says blades remain popular in his country because of their simplicity.

"It is very easy, it's cheap, [a shearer's] got just two blades with him and he can go and shear anywhere," he said.

Mr Boita is travelling with Mr Shweni and compatriot Zweliwile Hans, himself a five-time world champion and is runner-up this year to Mr Shweni.

"With the machine, you've got to set up, you've got to have electricity, some rural areas in South Africa there's no electricity," says Mr Boita.

"It is so easy for the blade shearers to get in there and do the job."

Shearing contractor Robbie Ewart invited the South Africans to Tarlow.

Watching on, he professes admiration for the their skill and strength.

"Here in Australia it's a dying art," he said.

There's still a few poking about, but no-one near the level these blokes are taking it to.

"These blokes are a long way quicker than anything I've seen before," he said, shaking his head.

The National Shearing and Wool-handling Championships will be held at the old Errowanbank Woolshed this weekend.